n hour."

* * * * *

The poker game had been in progress for more than an hour when Captain
Evans entered the parlor. Frowning, Jasperson looked up.

"You're late, Josiah. I told you we'd begin at nine."

"Sorry, Burl. I was delayed."

Jasperson paused in the act of raking in the pot, and looked up sharply.

"Anything wrong?"

"No, all serene."

"Anything you need my advice on?"

"No, just a routine conference with the navigator."

"Then pull up a chair and get in the game."

Nearly half the chips were piled in front of Jasperson, and across from
him a modest heap sat before the professor. At his right the baggy-eyed
only son of a deutonium millionaire fingered his dwindling pile
indifferently, and on his left Dr. Willoughby stared unbelievingly at
his few remaining chips, three blues and a couple of whites.

"I'll just watch," said the Captain. "You know I'm not much of a
gambler. Chess is my game."

"Oh, come on, Josiah. I insist that you play. Prove that you've got red
blood in your veins."

Evans hesitated, but remained standing. "I'd rather just look on."

"Now look here, Captain. Doesn't the Star Line always try to please its
passengers? Well, I'm a passenger. Or is it just your native caution
that makes you afraid of losing?" His laugh did not entirely disguise
the irritation in his voice.

"All right, anything to oblige," said Evans wearily, pulling up a chair.
"What stakes are you playing for?"

The Captain lost, slowly and steadily. Mechanically he went through the
motions of dealing, discarding, drawing, and betting, but it was obvious
that his mind was not on the game. Jasperson rarely lost a hand, if he
had stayed at all, while Professor Larrabee's luck was unpredictable,
the pile of chips before him fluctuating, growing or diminishing with
startling swiftness.

They were interrupted once when a waiter came in with a tray of bottles
and glasses. The Captain refused.

"But one drink won't do you any harm," said Jasperson.

"I never drink in space. For one thing, the rules of the Star Line
explicitly forbid it, as you should know."

"Yes, I helped make that rule. That means I can release you from it."

But Evans was firm. "I never drink in space," he repeated. "I'll take
two cards--no, make it three."

The professor surveyed his hand with his customary sprightly air.

"I'll play these," he said.

Jasperson discarded. "I'll take one."

Captain Ev