box or a coal-scuttle or
something. And just think of the complexes it would set up in those
super-children we're going to have so many of."

"What would you suggest?" Hilton asked.

"'Ardvor', of course," Hermione said, before her sister could answer.
"We've had 'Arth' and 'Ardu' and 'Ardry' and you--or somebody--started
calling us 'Ardans' to distinguish us converts from the Terrans. So
let's keep up the same line."

There was general laughter at that, but the name was approved.

* * * * *

About midnight the meeting ended and the _Orion_ set out for Ardvor. It
reached it and slanted sharply downward. The whole BuSci staff was in
the lounge, watching the big tri-di.

"Hey! That isn't Omlu!" Stella exclaimed. "It isn't a city at all and it
isn't even in the same place!"

"No, ma'am," Larry said. "Most of you wanted the ocean, but many wanted
a river or the mountains. Therefore we razed Omlu and built your new
city, Ardane, at a place where the ocean, two rivers, and a range of
mountains meet. Strictly speaking, it is not a city, but a place of
pleasant and rewardful living."

The space-ship was coming in, low and fast, from the south. To the left,
the west, there stretched the limitless expanse of ocean. To the right,
mile after mile, were rough, rugged, jagged, partially-timbered
mountains, mass piled upon mass. Immediately below the speeding vessel
was a wide, white-sand beach all of ten miles long.

Slowing rapidly now, the _Orion_ flew along due north.

[Illustration]

"Look! Look! A natatorium!" Beverly shrieked. "I know I wanted a nice
big place to swim in, besides my backyard pool and the ocean, but I
didn't tell anybody to build _that_--I swear I didn't!"

"You didn't have to, pet." Poynter put his arm around her curvaceous
waist and squeezed. "They knew. And I did a little thinking along that
line myself. There's our house, on top of the cliff over the
natatorium--you can almost dive into it off the patio."

"Oh, wonderful!"

Immediately north of the natatorium a tremendous river--named at first
sight the "Whitewater"--rushed through its gorge into the ocean; a river
and gorge strangely reminiscent of the Colorado and its Grand Canyon. On
the south bank of that river, at its very mouth--looking straight up
that tremendous canyon; on a rocky promontory commanding ocean and beach
and mountains--there was a house. At the sight of it Temple hugged
Hilton's arm in ec