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“That’s not quite the end of the story,” said the skipper. “You see, the Prinkip had built the pond to keep Beulah in. He had somehow gotten the idea that I was bringing him a whale.”

I looked blank.

“An Earth mammal. It lives in the oceans, and runs to maybe seventy or eighty tons.”

I sat down slowly, and then made a sudden dive for my contract for the use of the Delta Crucis.

The skipper nodded. “I had a contingent contract with the Prinkip, too,” he said, “and I hadn’t delivered. I still haven’t figured out how to make delivery of a whale, but I will some day.

“And if you’re looking for that part of our contract where you agree to store any residual cargo I may be carrying, it’s all legal and binding. Until I get back from hauling your Gasha root, you’ll have to care for one adult female African elephant. But I’m sure you’ll get to like Beulah as much as I have. She’s a mighty clever elephant.”

I called the waiter over and ordered a beaker of rhial.

“But you’re lucky at that,” said Hannah. “Check subparagraph f of paragraph 74 of our contract: Incidental accrual. When Beulah has her baby, the little tyke will be all yours.”