vate boat-house, since
no one was trying to stop--trying to stop--trying to stop....

Then the night came.

III

He woke slowly, with a dry retch, and blinked his eyes open. Noise of
air, he was flying, it must have been a triphibian they took him onto.
He tried to force recovery but his mind was still too paralyzed.

"Here. Drink this."

Dalgetty took the glass and gulped thirstily. It was coolness and
steadiness spreading through him. The vibratto within him faded, and
the headache dulled enough to be endurable. Slowly he looked around,
and felt the first crawl of panic.

_No!_ He suppressed the emotion with an almost physical thrust. Now
was the time for calm and quick wit and--

A big man near him nodded and stuck his head out the door. "He's okay
now, I guess," he called. "Want to talk to him?"

Dalgetty's eyes roved the compartment. It was a rear cabin in a large
airboat, luxuriously furnished with reclining seats and an inlaid
table. A broad window looked out on the stairs.

_Caught!_ It was pure bitterness, an impotent rage at himself. _Walked
right into their arms!_

Tyler came into the room, followed by a pair of burly stone-faced men.
He smiled. "Sorry," he murmured, "but you're playing out of your
league, you know."

"Yeah." Dalgetty shook his head. Wryness twisted his mouth. "I don't
league it much either."

Tyler grinned. It was a sympathetic expression. "You punsters are
incurable," he said. "I'm glad you're taking it so well. We don't
intend any harm to you."

Skepticism was dark in Dalgetty but he managed to relax. "How'd you
get onto me?" he asked.

"Oh, various ways. You were pretty clumsy, I'm afraid." Tyler sat down
across the table. The guards remained standing. "We were sure the
Institute would attempt a counterblow and we've studied it and its
personnel thoroughly. You were recognized, Dalgetty--and you're known
to be very close to Tighe. So you walked after us without even a
face-mask....

"At any rate, you were noticed hanging around the colony. We checked
back on your movements. One of the rec girls had some interesting
things to tell of you. We decided you'd better be questioned. I
sounded you out as much as a casual acquaintance could and then took
you to the rendezvous." Tyler spread his hands. "That's all."

Dalgetty sighed and his shoulders slumped under a sudden enormous
burden of discouragement. Yes, they were right. He was out of his
orbit. "Well," he said, "wh