r slender bodies. They had
quite large heads, which were somewhat out of proportion to their
overall physique. Their eyes were large and doe-shaped and were the
blackest of black with no pupils visible. He sensed an intelligence
emanating from their eyes that was far in excess of ordinary people.
Their skin was of a dull grayish hue; no color at all.

[Illustration]

Graham waited for them to speak (for some reason he was totally
unafraid). One of them raised his right hand in greeting. He spoke
without moving his lips. At least, Graham heard the words clearly inside
his head but could sense no outside sound.

"Greetings, young friend. You stumbled upon our location, but it is of
no consequence. We know that you bear us no ill will."

"Indeed not," replied Graham. "In fact, I am honored to make your
acquaintance. I've always wanted to meet a space person."

"Well," replied the other being, "you are a space person, too."

"I am?" said Graham incredulously. "I'm afraid you're mistaken ... I am
from earth."

"And where, my little friend, do you think earth is? Is it not suspended
in space like all of the other planets? And does it not make a complete
rotation upon its axis every twenty-three hours, fifty-six minutes and
four point zero-nine seconds, and at a speed of a thousand miles per
hour? And does it not orbit your sun every three hundred and sixty-five
days and six hours and nine minutes and nine point five seconds, and at
a speed of about twenty miles per second? And does it not revolve along
with the moon, around a common center of gravity, and move with the
entire solar system through your local star system at thirteen miles per
second? And does not your local star system move within the Milky Way at
the rate of two hundred miles per second, and does not the Milky Way
drift with respect to the remote external galaxies at the rate of one
hundred miles per second and in all different directions, and does not
your galaxy itself make a complete rotation about an axis every two
hundred million years? And does it not travel through space with over a
hundred billion other suns of its galactic family, not to mention an
untold number of other planets?"

Graham nodded meekly. "I knew our planet was in space. I just didn't
know all the details."

"Well," continued the being, "even if you mortals could travel at the
speed of light, it would still take you a hundred thousand years to
cross your galaxy from edge to e