the answer to
the big problem, that of finding the hyperspace drive.

But it was a tall order. And he had no idea where to begin. First thing
to do, he thought, is find someone halfway friendly-looking and ask if
there's a central directory of citizens. Track down Steve, if possible.
Time's running out. The _Valhalla_ pulls out in a couple of days.

There were plenty of passersby--but they all looked like the kind that
would keep on moving without answering his question. He stopped.

"_Come right in here!_" a cold metallic voice rasped, almost back of his
ear. Startled, Alan looked leftward and saw a gleaming multiform robot
standing in front of what looked like a shop of some sort.

"Come right in here!" the robot repeated, a little less forcefully now
that it had caught Alan's attention. "One credit can win you ten; five
can get you a hundred. Right in here, friend."

Alan stepped closer and peered inside. Through the dim dark blue window
he could vaguely make out long rows of tables, with men seated before
each one. From inside came the hard sound of another robot voice,
calling off an endless string of numbers.

"Don't just stand there staring, friend," the robot urged. "Go right on
through the door."

Alan nudged Rat quizzically. "What is it?"

"I'm a stranger here too. But I'd guess it was some sort of gambling
place."

Alan jingled the few coins he had in his pocket. "If we had time I'd
like to stop off. But----"

"Go ahead, friend, go ahead," the robot crooned, his metallic tones
somehow managing to sound almost human in their urgent pleading. "Go on
in. One credit can win you ten. Five can get you a hundred."

"Some other time," Alan said.

"But, friend--one credit can win you----"

"I know."

"--ten," the robot continued, undismayed. "Five can get you a hundred."
By this time the robot had edged out into the street, blocking Alan's
path.

"Are we going to have trouble with you too? It looks like everybody in
this city is trying to sell something."

The robot pointed invitingly toward the door. "Why not try it?" it
cooed. "Simplest game ever devised. Everybody wins! Go on in, friend."

Alan frowned impatiently. He was getting angrier and angrier at the
robot's unceasing sales pitch. Aboard ship, no one coaxed you to do
anything; if it was an assigned job, you did it without arguing, and if
you were on free time you were your own master.

"I don't want to play your stupid game!"

The ro