'Vaguely, said Tennyson. 'I know it is illegal to stow away. But I must tell you-

'There is, however, another matter which I feel compelled to consider, the captain told him. 'I have the feeling, knee-deep as I am in alien scum, that humans under whatever circumstances, should always stick together. We run fairly thin out here and it is my opinion that we should be supportive of one another, overlooking transgressions if they be not too odious…

'Your attitude does credit to you, said Tennyson. 'There has been something I've been trying to tell you and haven't had the chance. You see, sir, I am not a stowaway.

The captain turned steely eyes on him. 'Then tell me what you are. If you're not a stowaway, what are you?

'Well, let us say, said Tennyson, 'that I was simply pressed for time. That I did not have the time to arrange for passage by going through the formal channels. That, for compelling reasons I have revealed to you, I couldn't afford to miss your ship, so came aboard in a rather unorthodox manner, passed on board by an unsuspecting alien crew member who mistook me for the mate and —

'But you hid away.

'Easy to explain. I feared that you might not give me the time to explain my situation and be so conscientious as to heave me off the ship. So I hid and waited until there seemed little chance you could do anything but continue on your way.

'By all of this, do I understand you to be saying that you stand prepared to pay your passage?

'Most certainly I do. If you'll only name the figure.

'Why, said the captain, 'most willingly indeed. And I'll charge you not one tittle above the regular fare.