"I haven't!" I told him indignantly. "But I still know a phony when I see one!"
"To continue," Thaxton smirked, "I made arrangements with the Cyclops, finest space cruiser of the Venusian navy, to intercept this ship at a point halfway between the two planets. Thus, you see—"
"Amazon?" said Biggs. "Wangpoo?"
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Biggs?" Thaxton appeared puzzled.
I said, "Don't mind him, Thaxton. He's our triple-fret man. You were saying—"
I was stalling desperately for time. Confucius say, "Wise guy who shoot off trap sometimes spring same for self." Rope was the one thing I wanted Thaxton to have the most of. For Q.E.D. reasons.
"Thus, you see," he continued pleasantly, "within the next hour or two, the Cyclops will keep its rendezvous in space with the Saturn. And at that time, gentlemen, it will be my great pleasure to seize this ship, interne its crew, and take over its cargo as contraband—No, Sparks! There's no use trying to reach that audio!"
I fell back, abashed. I stammered,
"But—but how did you know I—"