"Doubled and redoubled," I conceded, "in spades. So what?"
"We know he has a fleet of swift space-cruisers, no?"
"Yes."
"Well, then--_where are those cruisers_?"
I gulped and stared at him. So did Hanson. Then the two of us shook our
heads and said together, "I don't know."
"Neither do I," admitted Biggs grimly, "for certain. But logic tells me
it can be only one place. Hidden from view beneath the waters of that
artificial lake--concealed, poised for deadly striking upon any unwary
attacker!"
* * * * *
And there's an example of typical Biggsian reasoning. It had never
occurred to either of us to wonder at the absence of a spacefleet we
should have known must be somewhere around. But the moment Biggs hurled
his bombshell we knew he must be right. It was the only explanation
which satisfied the mystery of the lake on lakeless Iris. Steichner
moored his spacecraft under water to hide them from the view of
potentially hostile visitors. From their aqueous vantage-point they
could emerge in the split of a second, guns spewing lethal flames to
smash down the Patrol if and when the Patrol ever moved to capture
Steichner's stronghold!
I yelped, "Great swooning serpents, let me get to my bug--" and started
for the ship's radio. But Biggs grabbed my shoulder.
"Not so fast, Sparks! Don't send any warning about the lake in your
message--not even in Company code. Steichner is a clever man. His
experts might discover we knew their secret, and that would be just too
bad--for us. We'd upset their applecart, yes; but we wouldn't be alive
to enjoy the fruits of our victory. And--" He grinned wryly--"oddly
enough, I have an ardent desire to keep on living."
It was the suddenness of his words which trapped the Old Man. He nodded
and said reassuringly, "Of course, my boy. And you will. Why, these
days a bum ticker doesn't mean anything. Lots of men have 'em and perk
right along--"
Then he stopped, crimsoning, as he realized what he had said. Biggs
stared at him open-mouthed, then turned to me. I avoided his eyes. I
couldn't help it. Biggs said, "Bum ticker, Dad?"
Hanson said miserably, "I'm sorry, boy. I meant to break it gentler
than that, but it sort of slipped out."
"You mean--" said Biggs dazedly--"I didn't pass the physical
examination? It--it showed my heart was bad?"