all night. Come on, you must have noticed. Platformsoles. Got a silver medallion as big as a plate. Skullmask. He was over by the door.'

I hadn't seen anyone like that. Well, you'd remember,wouldn't you?

Wayne's face was frozen with fear. 'You must have!'

'So what, anyway?'

'He keeps staring at me!'

I patted his arm. 'Impressed by your technique, oldson,' I said.

I took a look around the hall. Most people were millingaround the punch now, the rascals. Wayne grabbed myarm.

'Don't go away!'

'I was just going out for some fresh air.'

'Don't...' He pulled himself together. 'Don't go. Hangaround. Please.'

'What's up with you?'

'Please, John! He keeps looking at me in a funny way!'

He looked really frightened. I gave in. 'Okay. But pointhim out next time.'

I let him get on with things while I tied to neaten upthe towering mess of plugs and adapters that wasWayne's usual contribution to electrical safety. If you'vegot the kind of gear we've got - okay, had - you can spendhours working on it. I mean, do you know how manydifferent kinds of connectors ... all right.

In the middle of the next number Wayne hauled meback to the decks.

'There! See him? Right in the middle!'

Well, there wasn't. There were a couple of girls dancingwith each other, and everyone else were just couples whowere trying to pretend the Seventies hadn't happened.Any rhinestone cowboys in that lot would have stood outlike a strawberry in an Irish stew. I could see that sometact and diplomacy were called for at this point.

'Wayne,' I said, 'I reckon you're several coupons shortof a toaster.'

'You can't see him, can you?'

Well, no. But . , .

... since he mentioned it , . .

... I could see the space.

There was this patch of floor around the middle of thehall which everyone was keeping clear of. Except that