"There's a man who I assume is Carvalho. He's tied up. I've got a
couple of friends watching him to make sure he doesn't get away."
"Friends?"
"Like these." Kalinoff indicated the Mercurians. "Come on. I'd like to
get back to Earth. There's a girl I've got to see."
"But who--what happened to Carvalho?"
"He seemed anxious to leave, so I pushed my fist down his throat.
Incidentally, there was a radio going, with a code message."
"Short distance, radio?"
"Interplanetary. The ship's hull acted as a receiver, naturally. You
could get the message anywhere on the planet by arranging a short
distance automatic re-broadcast."
"So that's what Carvalho did."
"If I'm late this time," said Kalinoff worriedly, "she and I are
finished. She's willing to put up with dates six months in advance, but
there's a limit, and I've been late too often. And she's too nice to
lose. Get a move on, quick."
Lamoureux, in a daze, complied. They were only an hour's journey from
the ship, and, under Kalinoff's urging, they made it in forty minutes.
Carvalho, looking terrified of the two Mercurians who were standing
over him with their teeth showing, yelled, "Help!"
"Never mind him," Kalinoff ordered. "Hop into the ship."
"But what are we going to do with him?"
"Well, what's he been up to?"
* * * * *
Lamoureux explained briefly, and Kalinoff grunted. "You fellows are a
bunch of screwballs, setting out on an expedition like this without
proper equipment and proper information about Mercury." At the word
"screwballs," Lamoureux winced, but remained silent. Maybe it _was_
deserved. Kalinoff went on, "As for Carvalho, that's simple. Leave him
behind. He intended to maroon you, didn't he? Maroon him instead. But
first let him send one interplanetary radio message to his friends."
"In code? We won't know what it is!"
Kalinoff grinned. "We'll leave his punishment up to him. Suppose he
reports you've found me. Then his pals won't come for him, and he's
going to stay here indefinitely."
"What if he reports you _haven't_ been found?"
"Then they come for him, discover he's a liar, and there's hell to pay.
Either way, he's in for a lousy time."
"They'll murder him."
"Oh, no. We'll let them know that we're reporting the facts of the
case to the Interplanetary Commission. They'd never dare commit murder."