Shinny's greedy fingers twitched with anticipation.
"So that's why you want to buy a spaceship, eh?"
"Wanted," replied Loring. "I don't want to buy one now. The way things look, we'll get what we want for nothing!"
Mason, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly jumped up. "So that's your angle! Well, I don't want any part of it," he shouted.
Loring and Shinny looked up in surprise.
"What're you talking about?" demanded Loring.
"All of a sudden it's come to me. Now I know why you've been hanging around the spaceport for the last two weeks. And what you meant when you saw the spaceman get out of that freighter today!"
"Sit down!" barked Loring. "If you weren't so dumb, you'd have caught on long ago." He eyed the shorter man from between half-closed lids. "It's the only way we can get out of here!"
"Not me. I ain't pulling anything like that!" whined Mason.
"What's going on here?" demanded Shinny. "What're you two space bums talking about?"