"Yes, sir." Jim was already gone through the trap door.

* * * * *

The brown native jerked off the instructor's clothes, then worked
quickly but deftly with his knife. As he finished, the instructor's hand
separated from the arm at the wrist.

"He said no one would ever _think_ of doing anything like that," Billy
Kasker said.

"Nobody but one of us stinking natives." The brown man removed the
_plasticum_ bracelet, began to work with the fingers of his left hand.
"I've spent years learning how to throw my thumb out of joint, just
getting ready for the time--"

The _plasticum_ bracelet slipped over the collapsed thumb. It fitted
very snugly on his wrist. He held it up.

"Neat, eh. This makes me one of the conquerors."

"A nice fit. But we have very little time. The group will become
alarmed."

The second native began to take the instructor's body down the trap
door. The brown native swiftly slipped off his clothes and donned the
garments the instructor had worn.

"Ed, where's that _Thor_ gun model? I've got to have something that
looks and feels like a genuine _Thor_ gun to turn in at the gate."

"Here it is, sir." The third native handed a gleaming replica of the
_Thor_ gun to the brown man. He slipped it into the holster. It fitted
snugly.

"How do I look, Billy?"

Billy Kasker surveyed the brown native. He was remarkably changed. No
longer did he look like one of the natives, he looked like a conqueror.
"Just a little higher on the nose with the glasses. And maybe a little
less stuffing inside the brim of the hat. But--can you carry off the
part of the instructor?"

"I can carry it off or die trying," the brown native said.

"Good!" The two shook hands, then turned and went out the door. As they
left, Billy Kasker saw that Ed was mopping the last remnants of the
green blood from the floor.

"Perfect, down to the last detail," Billy Kasker said. "You're a genius
at planning."

"You have to be a genius to stay alive. Okay, Billy. Here is where we go
into our act."

They had moved into the street and the group had seen them. The voice
that came from the brown native's mouth was the voice of the instructor,
hot and angry.

"Billy, this sort of conduct is intolerable. You know better than to
wander off like this. What possible explanation can you offer for your
conduct?"

Billy Kasker was very penitent. He was embarrassed, he was humiliated,
and he showed both ver