ple people and probably they
don't have--"

"Are we going to keep them waiting," Iversen asked, "while we discuss
nuances? Since you say you speak the language so well, suppose you make
them a pretty speech all about how the Earth government extends the--I
suppose it would be hand, in this instance--of friendship to Flimbot
and--"

Harkaway blushed. "I sort of did that already, acting as your deputy.
_Mpoo_--status--means so much in these simple societies, you know, and
they seemed to expect something of the sort. However, I'll introduce you
to the Flimflim--the king, you know--" he pointed to an imposing
individual in the forefront of the crowd--"and get over all the
amenities, shall I?"

"It would be jolly good of you," Iversen said frigidly.

* * * * *

It was a pity they hadn't discovered Flimbot much earlier in their
survey of the Virago System, Iversen thought with regret, because it was
truly a pleasant spot and a week was very little time in which to
explore a world and study a race, even one as simple as the gentle
Flimbotzik actually turned out to be. It seemed amazing that they should
have developed anything as advanced as space travel, when their only
ground conveyances were a species of wagon drawn by plookik, a species
of animal.

But Iversen had no time for further investigation. The _Herringbone's_
fuel supply was calculated almost to the minute and so, willy-nilly, the
Earthmen had to leave beautiful Flimbot at the end of the week, knowing
little more about the Flimbotzik than they had before they came. Only
Harkaway, who had spent the three previous weeks on Flimbot, had any
further knowledge of the Flimbotzik--and Iversen had little faith in any
data he might have collected.

"I don't believe Harkaway knows the language nearly as well as he
pretends to," Iversen told the first officer as both of them watched
the young lieutenant make the formal speech of farewell.

"Come now," the first officer protested. "Seems to me the boy is doing
quite well. Acquired a remarkable command of the language, considering
he's been here only four weeks."

"Remarkable, I'll grant you, but is it accurate?"

"He seems to communicate and that is the ultimate objective of language,
is it not?"

"Then why did the Flimbotzik fill the tanks with wine when I distinctly
told him to ask for water?"

Of course the ship could synthesize water from its own waste products,
if necessary,