THE MEETING ADJOURNED. Jubal found his intention of getting his flockout of the Palace balked by the presence of the American President and ofSenator Boone; both wanted to chat with Mike, both were practical politicianswho realized fully the freshly enhanced value of being seen on intimate termswith the Man from Mars-and both were well aware that the eyes of the world,via stereovision, were still on them.

　　And other hungry politicos were closing in.

　　Jubal said quickly, .Mr. President, Senator-we’re leaving at once to havelunch. Can you join us?“ He reflected that two in private would be easier tohandle than two dozen in public-and he had to get Mike out of there beforeanything came unstuck.

　　To his relief both had other duties elsewhere. Jubal found himself promisingnot only to fetch Mike to that obscene Fosterite service but also to bring himto the White House-ob, well, the boy could always get sick, if necessary.

　　.Places, girls.“With his escort again around him Mike was convoyed to the roof, Anneleading the way since she would remember it-and creating quite a bow wavewith her height, her Valkyrie blonde beauty, and her impressive cloak of aFair Witness. Jubal, Ben, and the three officers from the Champion coveredthe rear. Larry and the Greyhound bus were waiting on the roof; a fewminutes later the driver left them on the roof of the New Mayflower. Newsmencaught up with them there, of course, but the girls guarded Mike on down tothe suite Duke had taken earlier. They were becoming quite good at it andwere enjoying it; Miriam and Dorcas in particular displayed ferocity thatreminded Jubal of a mother cat defending her young-only they made a gameof it, keeping score against each other. A reporter that closed within threefeet of either of them courted a spiked instep.

　　They found their corridor patrolled by S.S. troopers and an officer outside thedoor of their suite.

　　Jubal’s back hair rose, but he realized (or .hoped,“ he corrected himself) thattheir presence meant that Douglas was carrying out his half of the bargain infull measure. The letter Jubal had sent to Douglas before the conference,explaining what he was going to do and say, and why, had included a plea toDouglas to use his power and influence to protect Mike’s privacy from hereon-so that the unfortunate lad could begin to lead a normal life. (If a .normal“life was possible for Mike, Jubal again corrected himself.)So Jubal merely called out, .Jill! Keep Mike under control. It’s okay.“.Right, Boss.“And so it was. The officer at the door simply saluted. Jubal glanced at him,.Well! Howdy, Major. Busted down any doors lately?“Major Bloch turned red but kept his eyes forward and did not answer. Jubalwondered if the assignment was punishment? No, likely just coincidence;there probably wouldn’t be more than a handful of S.S. officers of appropriaterank available for the chore in this area. Jubal considered rubbing it in bysaying that a skunk had wandered in that door and ruined his living roomfurniture-and what was the major going to do about that? But he decidedagainst it; it would not only be ungracious but untrue- Duke had rigged atemporary closure out of plywood before the party got too wet for such tasks.

　　Duke was waiting inside. Jubal said, .Sit down, gentlemen. How about it,Duke?“Duke shrugged. .Who knows? Nobody has bugged this suite since I took it; Iguarantee that. I turned down the first suite they offered me, just as you saidto, and I picked this one because it’s got a heavy ceiling-the ballroom isabove us. And I’ve spent the time since searching the place. But, Boss, I’vepushed enough electrons to know that any dump can be bugged, so that youcan’t find it without tearing the building down.“.Fine, fine-but I didn’t mean that. They can’t keep a hotel this big buggedthroughout just on the chance that we might take a room in it-at least, I don’tthink they can. I mean, .How about the supplies?’ I’m hungry, boy, and verythirsty-and we’ve three more for lunch.“.Oh, that. That stuff was unloaded under my eyes, carried down the sameway, placed just inside the door; I put it all in the pantry. You’ve got asuspicious nature, Boss.“.I sure have-and you’d better acquire one if you want to live as long as Ihave.“ Jubal had just trusted Douglas with a fortune equivalent to a mediumsizednational debt-but he had not assumed that Douglas’ overeagerlieutenants would not tamper with food and drink. So to avoid the services ofa food taster he had fetched all the way from the Poconos plenty of food,more than a plenty of liquor-and a little water. And, of course, ice cubes. Hewondered how Caesar had licked the Gauls without ice cubes.

　　.I don’t hanker to,“ Duke answered.

　　.Matter of taste. I’ve had a pretty good time, on the whole. Get crackin’, girls.

　　Anne, douse your cloak and get useful. First girl back in here with a drink forme skips her next turn at .Front.’ After our guests, I mean. Do please sitdown, gentlemen. Sven, what’s your favorite poison? Akvavit, I suppose-Larry, tear down, find a liquor store and fetch back a couple of bottles ofakvavit. Fetch Bols gin for the captain, too.“.Hold it, Jubal,“ Nelson said firmly. .I won’t touch akvavit unless it’s chilledovernight-and I’d rather have Scotch.“.Me, too,“ agreed van Tromp.

　　.All right. Got enough of that to drown a horse. Dr. Mahmoud? If you prefersoft drinks, I’m pretty sure the girls tucked some in.“Mahmoud looked wistful. .I should not allow myself to be tempted bystrong drink.“.No need to be. Let me prescribe for you, as a physician.“ Jubal looked himover. .Son, you look as if you had been under considerable nervous strain.

　　Now we could alleviate that with meprobamate but since we don’t have thatat hand, I’m forced to substitute two ounces of ninety proof ethanol, repeat asneeded. Any particular flavor you prefer to kill the medicinal taste? And withor without bubbles?“Mahmoud smiled and suddenly did not look at all English. .Thank you,Doctor-but I’ll sin my own sins, with my eyes open. Gin, please, with water onthe side. Or vodka. Or whatever is available.“.Or medicinal alcohol,“ Nelson added. .Don’t let him pull your leg, Jubal.

　　Stinky drinks anything-and always regrets it.“.I do regret it,“ Mahmoud said earnestly, .because I know it is sinful.“.Then don’t needle him about it, Sven,“ Jubal said brusquely. .If Stinky getsmore mileage out of his sins by regretting them, that’s his business. My ownregretter burned out from overload during the market crash in .29 and I’venever replaced it-and that’s my business. To each his own. How aboutvictuals, Stinky? Anne probably stuffed a ham into one of those hampers-andthere might be other unclean items not as clearly recognizable. Shall Icheck?“Mahmoud shook his head. .I’m not a traditionalist, Jubal. That legislation wasgiven a long time ago, according to the needs of the time. The times aredifferent now.“Jubal suddenly looked sad. .Yes. But for the better? Never mind, this tooshall pass and leave not a rack of mutton behind. Eat what you will, mybrother-God forgives necessity.“.Thank you. But, truthfully, I often do not eat in the middle of the day.“.Better eat, or the prescribed ethanol will do more than relax you. Besides,these kids who work for me may sometimes misspell words but they are allsuperb cooks.“Miriam had come up behind Jubal with a tray bearing four drinks, ordershaving been filled at once while Jubal ranted. .Boss,“ she broke in, .I heardthat. Will you put it in writing?“.What?“ He whirled around and glared at her. .Snooping! You stay in afterschool and write one thousand times~ .I will not flap my ears at privateconversations.’ Stay until you finish it.“.Yes, Boss. This is for you, Captain .. and for you, Dr. Nelson and this isyours, Dr. Mahmoud. Water on the side, you said?“.Yes, Miriam. Thank you.“.Usual Harshaw service-sloppy but fast. Here’s yours, Boss.“ .You putwater in it!“.Anne’s orders. She says you’re too tired to have it on the rocks.“Jubal looked long-suffering. .You see what I have to put up with, gentlemen?

　　We should never have put shoes on .em. Miriam, make that .one thousandtimes’ in Sanskrit.“.Yes, Boss. Just as soon as I find time to learn it.“ She patted him on thehead. .You go right ahead and have your tizzy, dear; you’ve earned it. We’reall proud of you.“.Back to the kitchen, woman. Hold it-has everybody else got a drink?

　　Where’s Ben’s drink? Where’s Ben?“.They have by now. Ben is phoning in his column, His drink is at hiselbow.“.Very well. You may back out quietly, without formality-and send Mike in.

　　Gentlemen! Me ke aloha pau ole!-for there are fewer of us every year.“ Hedrank, they joined him.

　　.Mike’s helping. He loves to help-I think he’s going to be a butler when hegrows up.“.I thought you had left. Send him in anyhow; Dr. Nelson wants to give him aphysical examination.“.No hurry,“ put in the ship’s surgeon. .Jubal, this is excellent Scotch -but whatwas the toast?“.Sorry. Polynesian. .May our friendship be everlasting.’ Call it a footnote tothe water ceremony this morning. By the way, gentlemen, both Larry andDuke are water brothers to Mike, too, but don’t let it fret you. They can’t cook. . - but they’re the sort to have at your back in a dark alley.“.If you vouch for them, Jubal,“ van Tromp assured him, .admit them and tylethe door. But let’s drink to the girls while we’re alone. Sven, what’s that toastof yours to the flickas?“.You mean the one to all pretty girls everywhere? Let’s drink just to the fourwho are here. Skim!!“ They drank to their female water brothers and Nelsoncontinued, .Jubal, where do you find them?“.Raise .em in my own cellar. Then just when I’ve got .em trained and someuse to me, some city slicker always comes along and marries them. It’s alosing game.“.I can see how you suffer,“ Nelson said sympathetically.

　　.I do. I trust all of you gentlemen are married?“Two were. Mahmoud was not. Jubal looked at him bleakly. .Would you havethe grace to discorporate yourself? After lunch, of course-I wouldn’t want youto do it on an empty stomach.“.I’m no threat, I’m a permanent bachelor.“.Come, come, sir! I saw Dorcas making eyes at you ... and you werepurring.“.I’m safe, I assure you.“ Mahmoud thought of telling Jubal that he wouldnever marry out of his faith, decided that a gentile would take it amiss-even arare exception like Jubal. He changed the subject. .But, Jubal, don’t make asuggestion like that to Mike. He wouldn’t grok that you were joking-and youmight have a corpse on your hands. I don’t know . . . I don’t know that Mikecan actually think himself dead. But he would try . . . and if he were truly aMartian, it would work.“.I’m sure he can,“ Nelson said firmly. .Doctor-.Jubal,’ I mean- have younoticed anything odd about Mike’s metabolism?“.Uh, let me put it this way. There isn’t anything about his metabolism which Ihave noticed that is not odd. Very.“.Exactly.“Jubal turned to Mahmoud. .But don’t worry that I might invite Mike to suicide.

　　I’ve learned not to joke with him, not ever. I grok that he doesn’t grok joking.“Jubal blinked thoughtfully. .But I don’t grok .grok’ -not really. Stinky, youspeak Martian.“.A little.“.You speak it fluently, I heard you. Do you grok .grok’?“Mahmoud looked very thoughtful. .No. Not really. .Grok’ is the most importantword in the Martian language-and I expect to spend the next forty yearstrying to understand it and perhaps use some millions of printed words tryingto explain it. But I don’t expect to be successful. You need to think in Martianto grok the word .grok.’ Which Mike does and I don’t. Perhaps you havenoticed that Mike takes a rather veering approach to some of the simplesthuman ideas?“.Have I! My throbbing head!“.Mine, too.“.Food,“ announced Jubal. .Lunch, and about time, too. Girls, put it downwhere we can reach it and maintain a respectful silence. Go on talking,Doctor, if you will. Or does Mike’s presence make it better to postpone it?“.Not at all.“ Mahmoud spoke briefly in Martian to Mike. Mike answered him,smiled sunnily; his expression became blank again and he applied himself tofood, quite content to be allowed to eat in silence. .I told him what I wastrying to do and he told me that I would speak rightly; this was not his opinionbut a simple statement of fact, a necessity. I hope that if I fail to, he will noticeand tell me. But I doubt if he will. You see, Mike thinks in Martian-and thisgives him an entirely different .map’ of the universe from that which you and Iuse. You follow me?“.I grok it,“ agreed Jubal. .Language itself shapes a man’s basic ideas.“.Yes, but- Doctor, you speak Arabic, do you not?“.Eh? I used to, badly, many years ago,“ admitted Jubal. .Put in a while as asurgeon with the American Field Service, in Palestine. But I don’t now. I stillread it a little . . . because I prefer to read the words of the Prophet in theoriginal.“.Proper. Since the Koran cannot be translated-the .map’ changes ontranslation no matter how carefully one tries. You will understand, then, howdifficult I found English. It was not alone that my native language has muchsimpler inflections and more limited tenses; the whole .map’ changed.

　　English is the largest of the human tongues, with several times thevocabulary of the second largest language-this alone made it inevitable thatEnglish would eventually become, as it did, the lingua franca of this planet,for it is thereby the richest and the most flexible-despite its barbaricaccretions . . . or, I should say, because of its barbaric accretions. Englishswallows up anything that comes its way, makes English out of it. Nobodytried to stop this process, the way some languages are policed and haveofficial limits . . probably because there never has been, truly, such a thing as.the King’s English’-for .the King’s English’ was French. English was in truth abastard tongue and nobody cared how it grew . . . and it did!-enormously.

　　Until no one could hope to be an educated man unless he did his best toembrace this monster.

　　.Its very variety, subtlety, and utterly irrational, idiomatic complexity makes itpossible to say things in English which simply cannot be said in any otherlanguage. It almost drove me crazy . . . until I learned to think in it-and thatput a new .map’ of the world on top of the one I grew up with. A better one, inmany ways-certainly a more detailed one.

　　.But nevertheless there are things which can be said in the simple Arabictongue that cannot be said in English.“Jubal nodded agreement. .Quite true. That’s why I’ve kept up my readingof it, a little.“.Yes. But the Martian language is so much more complex than is English-andso wildly different in the fashion in which it abstracts its picture of theuniverse-that English and Arabic might as well be considered one and thesame language, by comparison. An Englishman and an Arab can learn tothink each other’s thoughts, in the other’s language. But I’m not certain that itwill ever be possible for us to think in Martian (other than by the uniquefashion Mike learned it)-oh, we can learn a sort of a .pidgin’ Martian, yes-thatis what I speak.

　　.Now take this one word: .grok.’ Its literal meaning, one which I suspect goesback to the origin of the Martian race as thinking, speaking creatures-andwhich throws light on their whole .map’-is quite easy. .Grok’ means .to drink.’“.Huh?“ said Jubal. .But Mike never says .grok’ when he’s just talking aboutdrinking. He-.

　　.Just a moment.“ Mahmoud spoke to Mike in Martian.

　　Mike looked faintly surprised and said, .’Grok’ is drink,“ and dropped thematter.

　　.But Mike would also have agreed,“ Mahmoud went on, .if I had named ahundred other English words, words which represent what we think of asdifferent concepts, even pairs of antithetical concepts. And .grok’ means all ofthese, depending on how you use it. It means .fear,’ it means .love,’ it means.hate’-proper hate, for by the Martian .map’ you cannot possibly hate anythingunless you grok it completely, understand it so thoroughly that you mergewith it and it merges with you-then and only then can you hate it. By hatingyourse1f~ But this also implies, by necessity, that you love it, too, and cherishit and would not have it otherwise. Then you can hate- and (I think) thatMartian hate is an emotion so black that the nearest human equivalent couldonly be called a mild distaste.“Mahmoud screwed up his face. .It means .identically equal’ in themathematical sense. The human cliché, .This hurts me worse than it doesyou’ has a Martian flavor to it, if only a trace. The Martians seem to knowinstinctively what we learned painfully from modern physics, that the observerinteracts with the observed simply through the process of observation. .Grok’

　　means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of theprocess being observed-to merge, to blend, to intermarry, to lose personalidentity in group experience. It means almost everything that we mean byreligion, philosophy, and science-and it means as little to us as color meansto a blind man.“ Mahmoud paused. .Jubal, if I chopped you up and made aStew of you, you and the stew, whatever else was in it, would grok-and whenI ate you, we would grok together and nothing would be lost and it would notmatter which one of us did the chopping up and eating.“.It would to me!“ Jubal said firmly.

　　.You aren’t a Martian.“ Mahmoud stopped again to talk to Mike inMartian.

　　Mike nodded. .You spoke rightly, my brother Dr. Mahmoud. I am beensaying so. Thou art God.“Mahmoud shrugged helplessly. .You see how hopeless it is? All I got was ablasphemy. We don’t think in Martian. We can’t“.Thou art God,“ Mike said agreeably. .God groks.“.Hell, let’s change the subject! Jubal, could I impose on my fraternal statusfor some more gin?“.I’ll get it,“ said Dorcas, and jumped up.

　　It was a pleasant family picnic, made easy by Jubal’s gift for warm informality,a gift shared by his staff, plus the fact that the three newcomers werethemselves the same easy sort of people-each learned, acclaimed, and withno need to strive. And all four men shared a foster-father interest in Mike.

　　Even Dr. Mahmoud, rarely truly off guard with those who did not share withhim the one true faith in submission to the Will of God, always beneficent,merciful, found himself relaxed and happy. It had pleased him very much tolearn that Jubal read the words of the Prophet and, now that he stopped tonotice it, the women of Jubal’s household were really much plumper than hehad thought at first glance. That dark one- But he put the thought out of hismind; he was a guest.

　　But it pleased him very much that these women did not chatter, did notintrude themselves into the sober talk of men, but were very quick with foodand drink in warm hospitality. He had been shocked at Miriam’s casualdisrespect toward her master-then recognized it for what it was: libertypermitted cats and favorite children in the privacy of the home.

　　Jubal explained early that they were doing nothing but waiting on word fromthe Secretary General. .If he means business-and I think he’s ready to dealwemay hear from him yet today. If not, we’ll go home this evening . . andcome back if we have to. But if we had stayed in the Palace, he might havebeen tempted to dicker. Here, dug into our own hole, we can refuse todicker.“.Dicker for what?“ asked Captain van Tromp. .You gave him what hewanted.“.Not all that he wanted. Douglas would rather have that power of attorney beutterly irrevocable . . . instead of on his good behavior, with the powerreverting to a man he despises and is afraid of-namely that scoundrel therewith the innocent smile, our brother Ben, But there are others besidesDouglas who are certain to want to dicker, too. That bland buddha Kunghatesmy guts, I’ve just snatched the rug out from under him. But if he couldfigure a deal that might tempt us-before Douglas nails this down-he wouldoffer it. So we stay out of his way, too. Kung is one reason why we are eatingand drinking nothing that we did not fetch with us.“.You really feel that’s something to worry about?“ asked Nelson. .Truthfully,Jubal, I had assumed that you were a gourmet who insisted on his owncuisine even away from home. I can’t imagine being poisoned, in a majorhotel such as this.“Jubal shook his head sorrowfully. .Sven, you’re the sort of honest man whothinks everybody else is honest-and you are usually right. No, nobody isgoing to try to poison you . . . but your wife might collect your insurancesimply because you shared a dish with Mike.“.You really think that?“.Sven, I’ll order anything you want. But I won’t touch it and I won’t let Miketouch it. For I’ll lay heavy odds that any waiter who comes to this suite will beon Kung’s payroll . . . and maybe on two or three others’. I’m not seeingboogie men behind bushes; they know where we are-and they’ve had acouple of hours in which to act. Sven, in cold seriousness, my principal worryhas been to keep this lad alive long enough to figure out a way to sterilizeand stabilize the power he represents . . . so that it would be to no one’sadvantage to have him dead.“Jubal sighed. .Consider the black widow spider. It’s a timid little beastie,useful and, for my taste, the prettiest of the arachnids, with its shiny, patentleatherfinish and its red hourglass trademark. But the poor thing has the fatalmisfortune of possessing enormously too much power for its size. Soeverybody kills it on sight.

　　.The black widow can’t help it, it has no way to avoid its venomous power.

　　.Mike is in the same dilemma. He isn’t as pretty as a black widow spider-.

　　.Why, Jubal!“ Dorcas said indignantly. .What a mean thing to say! And howutterly untrue!“.Sorry, child. I don’t have your glandular bias in the matter. Pretty or not,Mike can’t get rid of that money, nor is it safe for him to have it. And not justKung. The High Court is not as .non-political’ as it might be although theirmethods would probably make a prisoner out of him rather than kill him-a fatewhich, for my taste, is worse. Not to mention a dozen other interested parties,in and out of public office . . . persons who might or might not kill him, butwho have certainly turned over in their minds just how it would affect theirfortunes if Mike were guest of honor at a funeral. I-.

　　.Telephone, Boss.“.Anne, you have just interrupted a profound thought. You hail fromPorlock.“.No, Dallas.“.And I will not answer the phone for anyone.“.She said to tell you it was Becky.“.Why didn’t you say so?“ Jubal hurried out of the living room, found MadameVesant’s friendly face in the screen. .Becky! I’m glad to see you, girl!“ He didnot bother to ask how she had known where to call him.

　　.Hi, Doc. I caught your act-and I just had to call and tell you so.“.How’d it look?“.The Professor would have been proud of you. I’ve never seen a tip turnedmore expertly. Then you spilled .em before the marks knew what had hit .em.

　　Dot, the profession lost a great talker when you weren’t born twins.“.That’s high praise, coming from you, Becky.“ Jubal thought rapidly. .But youset up the act; I just cashed in on it-and there’s plenty of cash. So name yourfee, Becky, and don’t be shy.“ He decided that, whatever figure she picked,he would double it. That drawing account he had demanded for Mike wouldnever feel it . . . and it was better, far better, to pay Becky off lavishly than tolet the obligation stay open.

　　Madame Vesant frowned. .Now you’ve hurt my feelings.“.Becky, Becky! You’re a big girl now, dear. Anybody can clap and cheer-butapplause worthwhile will be found in a pile of soft, green, folding money. Notmy money. The Man from Mars picks up this tab and, believe me, he canafford it.“ He grinned. .But all you’ll get from me is thanks, and a hug and akiss that will crack your ribs the first time I see you.“She relaxed and smiled. .I’ll hold you to it. I remember how you used to patmy fanny while you assured me that the Professor was sure to get well-youalways could make a body feel better.“.I can’t believe that I ever did anything so unprofessional.“.You did, you know you did. And you weren’t very fatherly about it, either.“.Maybe so. Maybe I thought it was the treatment you needed. I’ve given upfanny-patting for Lent-but I’ll make an exception in your case.“.You’d better.“.And you’d better figure out that fee. Don’t forget the zeroes.“.Uh, I’ll think about it. But, truthfully, Doc, there are more ways of collecting afee than by making a fast count on the change. Have you been watching themarket today?“.No, and don’t tell me about it. Come over and have a drink instead.“.Uh, I’d better not. I promised, well, a rather important client that I would beavailable for instant consultation.“.I see. Mmm ... Becky do you suppose that the stars would show that thiswhole matter would turn out best for everybody if it were all wrapped up,signed, sealed, and notarized today? Maybe just after the stock marketcloses?“She looked thoughtful. .I could look into it.“.You do that. And come stay with us when you aren’t so busy. Stay as longas you like and never wear your hurtin’ shoes the whole time. You’ll like theboy. He’s as weird as snake’s suspenders but sweet as a stolen kiss, too.“.Uh... I will. As soon as I can. Thanks, Doc.“They said good-by and Jubal returned to find that Dr. Nelson had taken Mikeinto one of the bedrooms and was checking him over. He joined them to offerNelson the use of his kit since Nelson had not had with him his professionalbag.

　　Jubal found Mike stripped down and the ship’s surgeon looking baffled.

　　.Doctor,“ Nelson said, almost angrily, .I saw this patient only ten days ago.

　　Tell me where he got those muscles?“.Why, he sent in a coupon from the back cover of Rut: The Magazine for He-Men. You know, the ad that tells how a ninety-pound weakling can-.

　　.Doctor, please!“.Why don’t you ask him?“ Jubal suggested.

　　Nelson did so. .I thinked them,“ Mike answered.

　　.That’s right,“ Jubal agreed. .He .thinked’ .em. When I got him, just over aweek ago, he was a mess, slight, flabby, and pale. Looked as if he had beenraised in a cave-which I gather he was, more or less. So I told him he had togrow strong. So he did.“.Exercises?“ Nelson said doubtfully.

　　.Nothing systematic. Swimming, when and as he wished.“.A week of swimming won’t make a man look as if he had been sweatingover bar bells for years!“ Nelson frowned. .I am aware that Mike hasvoluntary control over the so-called .involuntary’ muscles, But that is notentirely without precedent. This, on the other hand, requires one to assumethat-.

　　.Doctor,“ Jubal said gently, .why don’t you just admit that you don’t grok itand save the wear and tear?“Nelson sighed. .I might as well. Put your clothes on, Michael.“Somewhat later, Jubal, under the mellowing influence of congenial companyand the grape, was unburdening to the three from the Champion hismisgivings about his morning’s work. .The financial end was simple enough:

　　just tie up Mike’s money so that a struggle over it couldn’t take place. Noteven if he dies, because I’ve let Douglas know privately that Mike’s deathends his stewardship whereas a rumour from a usually reliable source-me, inthis case-has reached Kung and several others to the effect that Mike’s deathwill give Douglas permanent control. Of course, if I had had magical powers, Iwould have stripped the boy not only of all political significance but also ofevery penny of his inheritance. That-.

　　.Why would you have done that, Jubal?“ the captain inteirupted.

　　Harshaw looked surprised. .Are you wealthy, Skipper? I don’t mean: .Areyour bills paid and enough in the sock to buy any follies your taste runs to?’ Imean rich . . . so loaded t............