The Time Traders

akened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring. But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.

ch?" Ross deman

of the dark. "You are ready?" The visitor's accent left no dou

ink that I

ise, Murdock. You are plenty ... have plenty on the ball. You see, I have heard things about you

don't you?" Ross

ike the major with all his do's and don'ts. That I ca

any danger

you again, do you want to end like Hardy? They have not yet looped you in with all their big talk. That is wh

pe

m with their favorite gadgets. They put you through a machine to get you registered on a tape. Then, my boy, you cannot get ou

science led him to be as fearful of the whole field as his ancestors had been of black magic. As all his generation, he was conditioned to

you taped," Ro

o get out of this place, only I cannot do it alone. That is why I have been waiting for them to bring in a new guy I could get to before they had him pinned down for good. You are tough, Murdock. I

repared to run at the first possible opportunity, and if Kurt had everything planned, so much the better. Of course,

o the North Pole as makes no difference! Are you going to leg it back some hundreds of miles through thick ice and snow

l one of those atomjets

they will be tracked by radar. Where have you been, boy? Don't you know the Reds are circling around up here? These fellows watc

at

s dumped miles to the south, and the cats go down once a month to bring i

l over an arctic wilderness in a stolen machine was risky, to say the least. Ross had only a very va

ore than one plan, and I'm willing to risk my

or as one who was first of all interested in his own welfare

say, Murdock? Are y

me time to ch

oy. Tomorrow they will tape you.

ur trick for fooling th

you think I can break open my skull and hand you a piece of what is inside? No, y

or freedom, a desire fed by his suspicions of what was going on here. He neither liked nor trusted Kurt, but he thought he understood him-better th

." he repea

e, but there must be two of us. We have to take turns driving the cat. There can be no rest until we are far to the south. I tell you it

wer at once the other

They use us up fast here. That is why they brought you so quickly.

hat is

ory-not nice comfortable history such as you learned out of a book when you wer

s impo

are taking a little trip into the time when he-men wore braids, and carried axes big enough to crack a man open! And

arriors-the Vikings! And Tartars, yes, that movie about someone na

ired man who wore skins. Neither of these was of his own world! Could Kurt be telling the

strangers," Kurt continued. "Then you are in for it. That is

t w

. But I do know that I am not going to be sent into any wilderness where a savage may run a spear through me

oint. He, too, would try the cat. He was only familiar with th

he base proved excellent. Twice they were halted by locked doors, but only momentarily, for Kurt had a tiny g

voiding furniture or installations with the surety of one who had practiced that same route often. Murdock's opinion of his companion's ab

surmised that Kurt had chosen as well as possible. A final door opened, and they stepped out into the polar night of winter. Kurt's

wn over them, closing them in, and the engine came to life under Kurt's urging. The cat must be traveling at its best pace, Ross th

the cat swung to the right and made a wide half circle which was copied at the next count of twenty by a similar sweep in the opposite direction. After this pattern had bee

"The base doesn't need fences two miles high to keep us in, or others out; they take other p

Kurt know that he was rattled. "So it

ive moments in which to reflect upon the folly of quick decisions and

e angles. Ross glanced now and then at the intent man at the wheel. How had Kurt mana

ng only a few yards in each of tho

t commented during one of the intervals between

ith the engine. These machines must be safe to ride in, but the bogy of radiation wa

ation. But he added no more than j

osts, yet Kurt steered ahead with confidence. A little later he pulled to

"Well, I can drive

now. See here-" his hand made a shadow on the lighted instrument panel, "this will keep you straight. If y

rate which increased rapidly as they veer

. If it begins to blink, you cast about until it steadi

, he started ahead, his eyes focused on the light rather than the white expanse before him. And after a few minutes of strain he caught the hang of

to show that he could be of use also. If there had only been some break in the eternal snow, some passing light or goal to be seen ahead, it would not have been so bad. Finally, every now and then, Ross had to jiggle off course just enough so that the warning blink of light would alert h

t have thought Ross had fallen asleep, for after perhaps two miles of steady grinding along, he moved cautiously behind the wheel. Ross saw by the trace of light from the instrument panel that h

is treasure to hiding once more, as if some difficult task was now behind him. Shortly afterward

oss the wheel. "No. It is ju

lgarries to come al

ly. What a surprise he would receive! Not two little mice to be p

the middle. He figured out the possibilities and came up with an answer which would smear Ross Murd

ose same years filled with attacks, retreats, and strategic maneuvering, formulated a code of rules by which to play his dangerous game. He had not murdered, and he would never follow the path Kurt took

ate?" He tried

ck of an order-that note Ross had so much disliked in the major's voice. "This is an operation which h

eep the other talking to give himself a chance to think. An

d you would doubtless find much of it boring. If you wish to continue to

he other hand, if what Ross guessed were true, this was the time to play the hero-when there was only Kurt

bordering the other's hood, trying for a throat hold. Perhaps it was Kurt's over-confidence which betrayed him and left him open to a surprise

d fleetingly why the other had not made sure of him earlier. As it was he fought wi

er pushed against him, only to have Ross flinch to one side. Kurt could not

under his parka, twisting it around Kurt's wrists with no gentlenes

that point. And with that in mind and only a limited knowledge of how to manage the machine, Ross st

ocess take him back to the base? Lost in the immensity of the cold w