't you weren't. But if they were to get anywhere in this
business, Travis knew, they had to learn that luck, more often than
not, follows the man who burns his generators....

* * * * *

He stopped thinking abruptly as a long yellow field came into view. He
saw silver flashing in the sun, and his heart jumped into his throat.
Old 29 settled fast. One ship or two? In the distance he could see the
gray jumbled shapes of a low-lying city. The sun was shining warmly,
it was spring on Diomed III, and across the field a blue river
sparkled, but Travis paid no attention. There was only one silver
gleam. Still he waited, not thinking. But when they were close enough
he saw that he was right. The Mapping Command ship was alone. Old 29,
burned generators and all, had won the race.

"My boys," he said gravely, turning to the crew, "Pat Travis rides
again!" But they were already around him, pounding him on the back. He
turned happily back to the screen, for the first time beginning to
admire the view. By jing, he thought, what a lovely day!

That was his first mistake.

It was not a lovely day.

It was absolutely miserable.

* * * * *

Travis had his first pang of doubt when he stepped out of the ship.

The field was empty, not a native in sight. But Dahlinger was out
before him, standing waist high in the grass and heaving deep lungfuls
of the flower-scented air. He yelled that he could already smell the
gold.

"I say, Trav," Trippe said thoughtfully from behind him, "where's the
fatted calf?"

"In this life," Travis said warily, "one is often disappointed." A
figure climbed out of a port over at the Mapping Command ship and came
walking slowly toward them. Travis recognized him and grinned.

"Hey, Hort."

"Hey Trav," Horton replied from a distance. But he did not say
anything else. He came forward with an odd look on his face. Travis
did not understand. Ed Horton was an old buddy and Ed Horton should be
happy to see him. Travis felt his second pang. This one went deep.

"Anybody beat us here?"

"No. You're the first, Trav."

Dahlinger whooped. Travis relaxed slightly and even the glacial Trippe
could not control a silly grin.

Horton caught a whiff of air from the open lock.

"B u r n e d generators? You must've come like hell." His face showed his
respect. Between burning a generator and blowing one entirely there is
only a microscopic distance