 Why didn't Casey want to take the deal?
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] But—and this was the 'but' that was likely to deprive the System of my activities—even experimenting with them was illegal even if it needed to be done; also, I had promised not to rat on him before taking the job. Well, Casey Ritter may be a lot of things we won't mention, but he doesn't rat on his clients. So there I was, closeted with the ten members of the S.S. Customs Court, getting set to hear the gavel fall and the head man intone the sentence that would take me out of circulation for a long, long time. I'd argued with 'em, but inside I'd been all set for the sentence, and even sort of reconciled to it. How could any—" The senior judge rapped ferociously, and I skidded to a halt. That whole Kooleen caper: Had it been just a trap to lead me straight to this? Not when I already had more counts against me than a cur has fleas. After all, in the pen a man can eat and breathe, and a guard won't reach in and nip off an arm or leg while he's got his back turned. The way that bunch of stuffed shirts in the S.S.C. made a gold-barred chimpanzee out of me has broken my spirit and turned me into an honest trader.
 He didn't think he'd live through it.
 He'd never make a deal with the S.S.C.  He wanted to retire from smuggling  He didn't think he'd live through it.  They didn't offer him enough money