“VASTA, SOR, IN ONE hour,” announced his steward to him eight hours later. “Bags out, sor?”
“When we get there,” growled the magnate, yawning heavily, glancing suspiciously about the room. He locked the door behind the steward, didn’t leave until the ship was cradled.
Neville watched him go ashore. Then he hurried in to see the skipper again.
“You will be compensated for this,” he said hurriedly. “You can have your steward back on the job again. How long do you stay here?”
“Three hours, curse the luck. We usually touch and go, but this time I have an ethergram ordering me to wait here for a special passenger. Why in hell can’t these hicks in the gravel belt learn to catch a ship on time?”
“Ah,” breathed Neville. “That makes a difference. I think I’ll stay with you. Have you a vacant r
