“I don’t know.”
Captain Carter banged the slide upon us. The chart-room was insulated. The hum of the current was obvious. Johnson noticed it. He started at the hostile faces of the surgeon and Balch. And he tried to bluster.
“What is this? Something wrong?”
Carter wasted no words. “We have information, Johnson––there’s some under cover plot here aboard. I want to know what it is. Suppose you tell us frankly.”
The purser looked blank. “What do you mean? We’ve gamblers aboard, if that’s––”
“To hell with that,” growled Balch. “You had a secret interview with that Martian, Set Miko, and with George Prince!”
Johnson scowled from under his heavy brows, and then raised them in surprise.
“Did I? You mean changing their money? I don’t like your tone, Balch. I’m not your under-officer!”