h it up tight, above those--ah--those
protuberances, and let it flow out over those--ah--legs. Simple, and
quite attractive, don't you think?"

The girls nodded happily, and Johnny just stood there gasping for
breath.

* * * * *

It was simpler than any of us had thought.

Johnny looked at me desperately when Aunt Mattie told him to have one
of the natives come in so she could fit a pattern on it, to see if any
gussets would be needed for fullness--whatever gussets might be.

"One of them came inside before," I said in answer to Johnny's
pleading look. "Ask him again. If he refuses, Mohammed will go to the
mountain. I'm sure you have extra space suits. I'm sure the ladies
won't mind going out to the natives if the natives won't come to
them."

"I don't know," Johnny said miserably. "He may have had sufficient
curiosity to come inside once, but not sufficient to bring him in
again. You see, ladies," he turned to them desperately. "They don't
seem to care about us, one way or the other."

The two committee women looked apprehensively at Aunt Mattie. Not to
care about her, one way or the other? This was beyond comprehension.
But Aunt Mattie was equal to it.

"Very well," she said crisply. "We shall not ask them to come to us.
We shall go to them. It is our duty to carry enlightenment to the
ignorant, wherever they may be, so that they can be taught to care. In
the performance of our duty, we have no room for pride. We shall go
to them, humbly, happily."

We did, too.

By the time we'd got into space suits and through the bubble lock out
into the ordinary landscape of Capella IV, Capella, the sun, was
sinking rapidly.

"We will just have time," Aunt Mattie said crisply, through the
intercom of our suits, "To set the pattern and get some idea of the
sizes needed. Then tomorrow we can begin our work."

Through his face plate I got a look at Johnny's wide, apprehensive
eyes.

"Ladies," he said desperately. "I must warn you again. I've never
tried to touch one of them. I don't know what will happen. I can't be
held responsible."

"You have been most remiss, young man," Aunt Mattie said sternly. "But
then," she added, as if remembering that he had gone to a proper
school, "you're young. No doubt overburdened by nonsensical red tape
in your administrative duties. And--if you had done this already,
there'd be no reason for my being here. I am always willing to help
wherever I'm n