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ight and it's full of fancy feathers！〃 One always studies the enemy。 The two fellows who had us were dressed in the green of game wardens。 They had the emblem of some Lord sewn on their chests。 They looked very ugly。 They were heavily armed。 I heard a twig snap back under the trees and knew there was a third one back there； covering us。
〃And；〃 Ske was saying； his voice pitched even higher； 〃to prove that we flushed them and that they fled afraid of us； look at that needle blastgun they left behind！〃
〃Ah；〃 said a three…hundred…pound brute； the other one that wasn't holding the gun on my chin。 He picked up my needlegun。 〃We'll just confiscate this。 Nice gun。〃
〃Evidence of the Crown；〃 I said hastily。 〃You must not tamper with legal evidence！〃
〃This；〃 said the three…hundred…pounder impressively； 〃is Lord Mok's preserve。 All half…million acres of it。 And anything found in it is Lord Mok's！〃 For 〃Lord Mok's；〃 I thought； substitute 〃game warden's。〃 The gun muzzle bruised my chin with a poke。 〃Get up。 We're taking you in！〃 I noticed for the first time that they had a rope around Ske's neck。 The 〃you〃 didn't seem to include Ske as the three…hundred…pounder seemed to be looking about for a limb to hang him from。 Oh； well； I thought。 One can always get a replacement driver。
Ske did not seem to take to the idea of being hanged。 But instead of grovelling； he grabbed the rope to slacken it and drew himself up tall。 Not very tall as he isn't very big。
〃That！〃 said Ske pointing dramatically at me； 〃is Officer Gris of the Apparatus！ He is on a secret mission for the Emperor！〃 His voice could be heard for a mile！
It produced an interesting effect。 Three men emerged from the trees and came forward at a run with levelled guns！ It looked like there was going to be a double hanging right now！
Ske had freed himself for an instant。 He dived to my side。 He yanked open the flap of a pocket； grabbed out my munication disc and screamed into it； 〃For the sake of the Gods； don't fire！ Officer Gris will be in your range！〃 It was a pretty silly thing to do as we were about ten times the distance that that munication disc could reach。
Ske whispered to me frantically； 〃Tell them they're all under arrest！〃 I blinked。 The yokels had all hauled up。 They were suspended； looking up and around anxiously。 Yokels； indeed。 Lord Mok didn't hire smart men for game wardens。
I got up。 〃You're all under arrest；〃 I said。
〃For posing as game wardens！〃 shouted Ske。
This hanging or battle or whatever it had been about to bee； disintegrated into； 〃We've got credentials！〃 and 〃How do we know you are an Officer Gris？〃 and that sort of thing。
Everybody showed everybody their badges。 Ske ran around pushing my identoplate into people's faces。
They finally told me that they'd have to keep the needlegun and game bag as 〃evidence〃 we'd actually been following poachers。 And they said they had a supply plane leaving their preserve headquarters the next morning for Government City and we could hitch a ride on it。
Ske seemed very elated and almost cheering。
I wasn't。 It seemed like the sky had fallen in。 I was very certain that catastrophe awaited me。 The very thought of going back made my stomach hurt！
Chapter 6
Dispiritedly； I sat and watched the Transport Issue Clerk。
The wardens had dropped us off at the Apparatus Vehicle Center in Government City； not even thanking me for the needlegun and game bag。
Ske had lugged in the frame from the wreck and the Transport Issue Clerk； instead of giving Ske a blast； had practically cooed over it。 Ske had written out a report… Crash in Line of Duty…and had then made out the application for another vehicle。
〃Uuuuuu！ It's been promoted！〃 cried the Transport Issue Clerk。 〃It's a Grade Eleven now！〃 He slapped Ske's wrist： 〃You naughty boy。 You didn't have to wreck the other to get a new one。 You just could have brought it in。 What unnecessary paper work you drivers make！〃 And then he was onto his munications link with the mercial suppliers…Zippety…Zip Manufacturing Outlet…in mercial City。 〃Uuuuu； Chalber； dear；〃 he said musically to whomever was on the other end。 〃We've had a promotion。 And it will need a Model 794…86 right away。〃 He muted the disc and turned to Ske。 〃They've only one with purple upholstery and green tassels。 Will that do？〃 Apparently Ske thought it would； for the clerk got 〃Dear Chalber〃 to rush right over with it himself。
〃Oh； you are so lucky；〃 said the clerk to Ske。 〃The Model 794…86 is absolutely adorable！ It has the circular seat in back that makes down into a bed。〃
〃Hot Saints！〃 exclaimed Ske； and well he might for he had to sleep in my vehicle most of the time。
〃Oh； yes；〃 cooed the clerk。 〃And it has window blinders and the cutest bar。 You and me will just have to take a ride in it；〃 wink； wink； 〃won't we？〃 I decided there were things I didn't know about Ske。
Shortly 〃Dear Chalber〃 arrived and there was a hurried and furtive interchange between him and the clerk and I saw the golden flash of money changing hands。 Aha！ So that was why the Apparatus had so many strange vehicle wrecks！
The clerk gave 〃Dear Chalber〃 a kiss and when a following vehicle had flown him off； the clerk turned to Ske and there was a furtive interchange there and I distinctly saw another； smaller golden flash。
The new airbus was quite elegant： purple light spinners and green landing wheels with a bright red band all around it。 Hardly the thing for undercover work！ The interior was so clean it was disgusting。 I got in wearily。
〃Have some more wrecks； dear；〃 I heard the happy clerk tell Ske。
I was wrong about Ske。 He was wiping the clerk's kiss off very vigorously as he eased in under the wheel…stick。 We took off for my office。
〃I think you owe me something；〃 I said。 I had to repeat it in a louder voice even though the new bus was much quieter。
〃Oh； you mean the money；〃 said my driver。 〃That was just one credit he owed me。〃 He protested he would need it for food but he knew how firm I could be。 He finally threw it over his head at me。 And even though I was quite certain he had had to peel it off a roll of bills； the airbus was diving about in traffic so I decided to be satisfied。 The back windows were down and I hadn't fastened my belt。 The note had almost sailed out！ A close one！
At my office； when I walked in； the two boys Too…Too and Oh Dear instantly； with just one glance at me； fell into each other's arms and began to cry。 The rest of the clerks in the front office left and it wasn't even lunch hour。 It was quite late in the day。 Must be early quitting time； I thought。
Bawtch came stooping out of his office and saw me。 〃Oh； it's you！〃 he said。 〃Why do you have to keep ing in here and upsetting everything？〃 I tried to point out that I had been missing for three weeks。 And he just kept raving on about me always being underfoot！
Defensively I went back into my office。 I looked on the desk； half…expecting to see a warrant…for…my…arrest notice。 Nothing。 Same dust。
The contractors had finished their work。 I went in and checked and sure enough； when you pressed the wall just so； it revolved and there was a ladder to a hatch in the roof。 The silent…bre