r mind. She stood up and said, "I think your
patient is recovered, and you've got a problem, mister." She stalked off
into the night.

I looked at Sue's pink face and half-guessed the answer before she told
me. It seemed that Joe had suddenly developed amorous inclinations. Sue
had the habit of stroking his head like a pet dog, and this evening,
without warning, Joe had begun returning the caresses in a manner so
casual and gentle that Sue hadn't noticed the trend.

From a more objective viewpoint, however, Jane had observed the rather
unplatonic indications of Joe's attitude and mortified Sue by drawing
her attention to it with an acid remark.

In my fury I fancied that Joe had tried to take advantage of my absence.
His cleverness in avoiding such advances in my presence was nullified by
his error of assuming that Jane would pose no obstacle.

At present he sprawled in his corner beside an empty mango skin,
breathing rapidly, innocently asleep. The incident served to drive home
Donnegan's story and steel me against the many twinges of conscience I
was to suffer in our campaign to wipe out Joe's race.

It also served as an adequate excuse, in Sue's eyes, when I told Joe the
next morning that he was quite well enough to return to the forest. This
was a fact we both had known for over a week, but Joe in his indolent
way, had been quite content to remain and talk with me endlessly. Until
now, I had welcomed his presence as an inexhaustible source of
information.

He accepted the dismissal without rancor and promised to return and
visit us next spring.

"Next spring?" I said.

"We will leave soon," he said. "We go south in the autumn."

"Wait," I said. And I told him that as a gesture of friendship we had
decided to take all males of his race for a tour through the ship. Would
he take this word to his people?

He said he would, but his face became very thoughtful.

That afternoon they formed a short line at the ramp, and the "tours"
began. The line was short because they refused to wait long for
anything, but as the line shortened, others came from the woods to take
their places. To produce a favorable "press" on our show and thus assure
perfect attendance by _all_ the males, Benson rigged several mechanical
displays of flashing lights and whirling devices.

They were delighted, and when they got to the X-ray booth, to induce
them to stand still we set up a gas torch with a beautiful, vermilion,
strontium fla