eeding, and he
could not help seeing how they appeared to appreciate the new food.
After some time he said admiringly, "It looks like you've hit on
something, George. If it continues to work out, we'll feed all of 'em
this stuff, and I'll requisition plenty more next time the freighter
comes in."

They left the compound, carefully locking both gates behind them, and
walked back to the office. Once there, Hanlon said, "I see you have a
chess set, sir. Do you play? I love the game."

"You do?" Philander's eyes gleamed. "It's been a long time since there
was anyone here who did."

"Then I hope you'll let me come in occasionally for a game. I get
lonesome here. The other guards aren't worth talking to, and I'm not
educated enough in science or technology to get in on the arguments of
the engineers and other technies."

"Sure, sure, come in any time. I'll be mighty glad to have you, for I
love chess. I get lonesome, too, and I have to stay a whole year at a
time. Feel free to come in any evening."

Back in his room Hanlon left tremendously satisfied with the evening's
work. He had done something for the natives that would help make their
intolerable situation more bearable until the time came when they could
be freed of their slavery ... and he had made a new friend who could
prove very useful.

He was very anxious for the next work-period to come, so he could talk
to Geck via the voice-transformer. For he was not yet adept enough at
telepathy to be sure he had got all the information needed about the use
of nitrates in the Guddu's diet.

But the next day when he went to herd his crew from their compound and
down into the mine, he could not help noticing at first glance how much
sprightlier they looked than the other crews. The minute they had
reached the stope he unearthed the machine from its hiding place and got
into conversation with the friendly Guddu.

"The food stuff?" he asked eagerly. "Is it something you can use?"

"Oh, yes. An-yon," Geck almost sputtered in his eagerness, and words
tumbled out so swiftly Hanlon could hardly translate them. "It are
wonderful! Can you fix so all we can have?"

"Yes, they'll all be fed rations of it from now on, although perhaps not
much until the ship can bring more from another planet. I don't know how
much we have on hand. But the Boss-man liked my idea, and is going to
see to it that there is always some on hand for all the natives. He'll
probably spread the word to