n unit in here. Clean this
place out." Cats poured in a frenzied stream from the ship. "Call Mister
Vaugn. Start purification of his ore as soon as it arrives."

Past the hatch, he saw the swift flash of the lead top dropping over the
box. Excitement pounded hotly in his throat.

"I'm going to get rid of these cats once and for all," he called. "Be
back in an hour."

"But what about the _Kastil_?"

"We'll worry about the _Kastil_ later. Get that ore purified. We're
blasting out of here in forty hours."

He swung from the cargo entrance to the top of the lead box. Under his
feet, the lid trembled with the frantic struggling of the cats. "Load
this crate in the cargo jet," he cried. "And hurry. We only have half an
hour left."

* * * * *

The pounding of the jets matched the pounding of the blood in Scott's
temples. "When we land," he instructed, "get this crate out fast.
Everything depends on how fast you can take the cats down to the pit. I
want you to bury it as fast as you can. Understand?"

He glanced sharply about the group, feeling their eyes clinging to him.

"Get as much rubbish on the crate as possible. And then obey every order
I give you as fast as possible no matter how foolish the order may
seem."

The jet thundered down over the landing strip, rasped to a halt. "Out,"
roared Scott. "Fast. Make it fast."

The loading compartment swung open. But as the men lifted the crate
toward the door, the jet's intercom burst into life. "Jerill. Jerill,
this is Captain Elderburg. I order you to return at once."

Elderburg had freed himself too quickly.

"This is a criminal offense, Jerill. Come back at once."

"Get that crate out," Scott roared. "Hurry. Hurry!"

"Mister Jerill," blared the intercom. "You are under arrest, according
to the Articles of Space, for conspiracy, armed assault...." Scott cut
the voice off in mid-sentence. He leaped into the hold, threw his weight
behind the box. "Quick. Get it to the pit."

The men lumbered off into the darkness. Even with the light gravity of
the asteroid, it was difficult to handle the crate as the scrambling
cats pitched it from side to side.

Scott scaled a boulder. The hulk of the _Kastil_ loomed just beyond,
dark and threatening. A thin square of light showed at their cargo
entrance. They were still completing loading.

"Hurry," Scott muttered feverishly. "Hurry."

The men reached the pit. Carefully, slowly, they lowe