Snap tried to help me. “Go on, bang him on the head, Gregg. Now’s your chance!”
We searched him. A heat-ray cylinder––that was legitimate. But we found a small battery and eavesdropping microphone similar to the one Venza had mentioned that Shac the gambler was carrying.
“What are you doing with that?” the captain demanded.
“None of your business! Is it criminal? Carter, I’ll have the Line officials dismiss you for this! Take your hands off me, all of you!”
“Look at this!” exclaimed Dr. Frank.
From Johnson’s breast pocket the surgeon drew a folded document. It was the scale drawing of the Planetara’s interior corridors, the lower control rooms and mechanisms. It was always kept in Johnson’s safe. And with it, another document: the ship’s clearance papers––the secret code pass-words for this voyage, to be used if we should be challenged by any interplanetary police ship.
Snap gasped. “My God, that was in my helio-room strong box! I’m the only one on this vessel except the captain who’s entitled to know those pass-words!”
Out of the silence, Balch demanded, “Well, what about it, Johnson?”
The purser was still defiant. “I won’t answer your questions, Balch. At the proper time, I’ll explain––Gregg Haljan, you’re choking me!”