"They're supposed to be used in religious observances—timing hours of prayer, I believe. They can, of course, have other uses.
"For example, I can imagine all those watches giving the wearer a light electric shock, or ringing a little bell, all over New Texas, at exactly the same moment. And then I can imagine all the z'Srauff running down into nice deep holes in the ground."
He looked at his own watch. "And that reminds me: my gang of pirates are at the spaceport by now, ready to blast off. I wonder if someone could drive me there."
"I'll drive him, boss," Hoddy volunteered. "I ain't doin' nothin' else."
I was wondering how I could break that up, plausibly and without betraying my suspicions, when Parros and Captain Nelson came out and joined us.
"I have a lot of stuff here," Parros said. "Stuff we never seemed to have noticed. For instance—"
I interrupted. "Commander Stonehenge's going to the spaceport, now," I said. "Suppose you ride with him, and brief him on what you learned, on the way. Then, when he's aboard, come back and tell us."
Hoddy looked at me for a long ten seconds. His expression started by being exasperated and ended by betraying grudging admiration.