Good old Sparks; witness extraordinary. But don't think it gave me any pleasure to witness this example of sheer madness. As we moved through the doorway, away from the wondering crowd, I pleaded with Biggs, "Biggs, for gosh sakes—haven't you lost enough already? Don't make another bet!"
But the glance he turned to me was mildly puzzled. And he whispered swiftly, "It's all right, Sparks. I know what I'm doing—"
Then, outside, to the skipper,
"Captain Hanson, I have only one more thing of potential value left in the world. The patent rights to my new invention, the practicability of which you have witnessed all afternoon, the uranium audio plate. This will be my share of the wager."
Hanson said suspiciously, "I don't know—" To me, "Sparks, is it worth anything?"
I nodded sombrely.
"In my estimation," I told him, "it's worth at least a quarter million credits. It's the first plate I've ever seen that really works. Didn't you notice we're not even picking up static?"
The Old Man nodded. "Very well. And my stake—?"
Biggs said boldly, "Permission to continue seeing your daughter. And—if she'll have me—to marry her!"
Something popped, and for a minute I thought it was the Old Man's fuses, but it was only the top of his head rising two feet.