say Hulse does think he's doing his patriotic duty," said
Blades. "He wants to guarantee North America our natural resources--in
the long run, maybe, our allegiance. If he has to commit sabotage, too
bad, but it won't cost him any sleep."

"No!" Ellen almost screamed.

Chung sagged in his chair. "We're very neatly trapped," he said like
an old man. "I don't see any way out. Think you can get to work now,
Mike? You can assign group leaders for the evacuation--"

Blades jumped erect. "I can fight!" he growled.

"With what? Can openers?"

"You mean you're going to lie down and let them break us?"

Avis came back. She thrust the bottle into Blades' hands as he paced
the room. "Here you are," she said in a distant voice.

He held it out toward Ellen. "Have some," he invited.

"Not with you ... you subversive!"

Avis brightened noticeably, took the bottle and raised it. "Then
here's to victory," she said, drank, and passed it to Blades.

He started to gulp; but the wine was too noble, and he found himself
savoring its course down his throat. _Why,_ he thought vaguely, _do
people always speak with scorn about Dutch courage? The Dutch have
real guts. They fought themselves free of Spain and free of the ocean
itself; when the French or Germans came, they made the enemy sea their
ally_--

The bottle fell from his grasp. In the weak acceleration, it hadn't
hit the floor when Avis rescued it. "Gimme that, you big
butterfingers," she exclaimed. Her free hand clasped his arm.
"Whatever happens, Mike," she said to him, "we're not quitting."

Still Blades stared beyond her. His fists clenched and unclenched. The
noise of his breathing filled the room. Chung looked around in
bewilderment; Ellen watched with waxing horror; Avis' eyes kindled.

"Holy smoking seegars," Blades whispered at last. "I really think we
can swing it."

Captain Janichevski recoiled. "You're out of your skull!"

"Probably," said Blades. "Fun, huh?"

"You can't do this."

"We can try."

"Do you know what you're talking about? Insurrection, that's what.
Quite likely piracy. Even if your scheme worked, you'd spend the next
ten years in Rehab--at least."

"Maybe, provided the matter ever came to trial. But it won't."

"That's what you think. You're asking me to compound the felony, and
misappropriate the property of my owners to boot." Janichevski shook
his head. "Sorry, Mike. I'm sorry as hell about this mess. But I won't
be party to making i