undred and
fifty people in fair comfort, they can jam in three hundred by squeezing
a bit."

Jasperson shuddered. "So many people! And so close together! I can't
bear crowds, Josiah, you know that. They make me feel sick and confused.
It will be terrible!"

"Whether you like it or not, there's nothing else to do if we want to
save lives. I'll sound the alarm in a quarter of an hour. Get yourself
ready, but whatever you do, don't tell the others yet. I don't want a
panic on my hands until I'm ready to deal with it."

Biting his lip, Jasperson turned, without a word, and shuffled out of
the cabin.

* * * * *

Once in the corridor, he began to run, a shrivelled old man waddling on
wings of fear down the hall to the dining room where empty tables waited
in the elegant silence of gleaming silver and crisp white linen for the
breakfast hour.

Davis was standing at the sideboard, staring blankly at the flashing red
light above the door.

Jasperson ran up to him and clutched his arm. Looking around cunningly
to see that they were alone, he whispered.

"Davis, I want to talk to you."

"Later, sir. That red light means I'm wanted at the briefing room."

"Yes, but wait a minute!"

"I'm supposed to go at once, sir."

"A thousand credits if you'll listen to me a minute!"

As Davis hesitated, Burl went on. "Listen, Davis, the ship is in
trouble. The Captain is going to launch the lifeboats. You're in charge
of Boat F, aren't you? You know how to operate it?"

"Of course, Mr. Jasperson."

"Then come with me, and we'll take the boat now. I'll pay you well."

"But we can't do that!"

"Why not? The _Star Lord_ is doomed. In fifteen minutes this place will
be a madhouse, and there may not be room for everybody. I want to get
out of here before the mob. We'll take Boat F."

Steward Davis' eyes were thoughtful as he replied. "But sir, we can't
just take a boat for ourselves, like that. There's two hundred and
fifty people assigned to Boat F."

"Worse than that! Three hundred! One lifeboat has been lost already.
It's dangerous to wait--there'll be a stampede and the lifeboats might
even be wrecked. No, we must take her alone, Davis. I'll give you ten
thousand credits if you'll do it, and as long as you live you'll have me
as a friend."

The steward's Little eyes looked sidewise at the pleading man. "But I'd
be found out for sure, Mr. Jasperson, and then what would become of me?
I'd n