ever get another job as long as I lived. I'd have to change my
name, disguise myself, and maybe live on some other planet, and all that
would take money. I'm a poor man, and I don't see how I could afford
it."

"But if I have to squeeze into one of those boats with three hundred
other people crowding against me, I'll go crazy! We'll go to some
out-of-the-way planet, and you can change your identity and be perfectly
safe. Can't you understand, man? My life is at stake, and my sanity.
I'll give you fifteen thousand credits!"

"Well," said Davis. "Could you make it twenty-five?"

"Done! Meet me at Boat F in five minutes."

Jasperson rushed to his cabin. Yanking open the wall safe he dragged out
his brief case and the locked memorandum book, thrust his pistol into
his pocket, and ran to the door.

"Follow me!" he called to his startled secretary, and hurried from the
room.

Running past the library door, he glimpsed Tanya at work, her auburn
head bent over her sketching. On impulse, he stopped and ran back.

Panting from the physical punishment of running, nearly smothered by the
pounding of his terrified heart, he gasped out his invitation.

"Tanya! The ship is going to blow up! Don't tell anyone. Come with me
now, before the crowd, and I'll get you off safely in my lifeboat. I'll
take care of you, Tanya."

She pulled away. "Have you lost your mind, Mr. Jasperson?"

"Don't argue. There's no time. Come, I'll protect you. We'll have plenty
of room. If you wait, it may be too late."

"Go with you, and leave the others? You're mad!"

"But if you wait, you'll be trampled to death by the mob. I'm giving you
a chance to save your life."

"But you can't take that boat for yourself. What would happen to the
other people? That would be murder. Get away from me! I'm going to call
Captain Evans."

As she ran to the phone and pressed the dial, he padded out of the door
and resumed his flight to Boat F where Davis waited, peering nervously
up and down the hall. Waving his secretary to follow, Jasperson rushed
through the port.

"Everything ready, Davis? Provisions all in?"

"All set. I saw the tail end of the truck leaving just as I got here,
but I'll just check--"

"Hurry, man! There's no time to waste." He cocked his head, listening to
the low rumble of an approaching motor. Davis ran inside, and together
they watched from the port.

Coming swiftly down the corridor was a small motor truck. It stopped,
and the