.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean that. I sure will be back if I can make it. Maybe
this job isn't exactly what I'd dreamed about," he had to hedge that
statement a bit, and tried to make a sincere-sounding explanation, "but
that thousand credits a month is!"

"That reminds me--I want to be sure to recommend you for a good bonus.
You deserve it more'n any guard we've ever had here. Then, too, your
ideas of rotating your crew, and especially that fertilizer deal, have
raised the effective work-life and speed of the natives almost thirty
percent. I figured it out, and they'll be getting off cheap if they give
you what I'm recommending--two months pay as a bonus."

"Yowie!" Hanlon yelled, making his face show excitement, and that
curious avarice he had so carefully built up in these suspicious men's
minds. "That'll make me six thou in four months. I'll be rich yet!"

"You and your urge for money," Philander laughed, yet there was a
curious undertone of almost-contempt in his voice. "Why're you so hipped
on that subject?"

Hanlon grinned and misquoted, "Life is real, life is earnest, and the
gravy is my goal." Then he sobered and said, "'Cause with money you can
do anything. When I've made a big pile, then I can go where I want to
go, be what I want to be, and make people know I'm somebody."

Philander shrugged. "Maybe you're right, but I'd say there were better
ways, George."

Hanlon looked doubtful. "I have the utmost respect for your ideas and
greater experience, sir, but what's better than a big wad of credits."

Philander looked more seriously thoughtful than Hanlon had ever seen him
before. He was silent a moment, then answered slowly, "This may sound
'old-mannish,' but I believe steady advancement in whatever work you
choose; growing knowledge of many things; creative imagination put to
constructive use; the growing respect and consequent advance in
responsibility from your employers if you're working for someone, or
from your neighbors if you're in business for yourself--those things
are, in my opinion, of much greater value than the mere accumulation of
money. And the best part of it is, that if you grow in those ways, that
extra money will come to you, but merely as a corollary addition to the
greater achievements."

"I see your point," Hanlon was greatly impressed by Philander's
earnestness. "Maybe you're right. I'm still just a kid, I guess, with a
kid's immature outlook. That's why I appreciate your friendshi