They sank back into their chairs.
"It's simple," said Mason fearfully. "Loring wants to steal a spaceship."
"A pirate job!" said Shinny. He drew in his breath sharply. "You must be outta your mind!"
"You've called yourself in on this," Loring reminded him. "And you're staying in."
"Oh, no!" Shinny's voice dropped to a husky, frightened whisper. "Deal's off. I ain't gonna spend the rest of my life on a prison asteroid!"
"Shinny, you know too much!" Loring's hand darted toward the blaster he wore at his belt.
"Your secret's safe with me. I give you my spaceman's word on it," said Shinny, pushing back his chair. Abruptly getting to his feet, he scrambled rapidly out the door of the Café Cosmos.
"Loring," said Mason, "get him. You can't let him ..."
"Forget it," shot back the other. "He won't break his spaceman's oath. Not Shinny." He got up. "Come on, Mason. We haven't got much time before the Annie Jones blasts off."
"What are we gonna do?" the shorter man wanted to know.