, falling, and rising; this blind
groping; this futility; this frustration; this welter of crime,
disaster, and bloodshed. Why? It seems to me that it would be much
better--cleaner, simpler, faster, more efficient, and involving
infinitely less bloodshed and suffering--for us to take now a direct and
active part, as the Eddorians have done and will continue to do."

"Cleaner, youth, yes; and simpler. Easier; less bloody. It would not,
however, be better; or even good; because no end-point would ever be
attained. Young civilizations advance only by overcoming obstacles. Each
obstacle surmounted, each step of progress made, carries its suffering
as well as its reward. We could negate the efforts of any echelon below
the Eddorians themselves, it is true. We could so protect and shield
each one of our protege races that not a war would be waged and not a
law would be broken. But to what end? Further contemplation will show
you immature thinkers that in such a case not one of our races would
develop into what the presence of the Eddorians has made it necessary
for them to become.

"From this it follows that we would never be able to overcome Eddore;
nor would our conflict with that race remain indefinitely at stalemate.
Given sufficient time during which to work against us, they will be able
to win. However, if every Arisian follows his line of action as it is
laid out in this Visualization, all will be well. Are there any more
questions?"

"None. The blanks which you may have left can be filled in by a mind of
very moderate power."

* * * * *

"Look here, Fred." Cleveland called attention to the plate, upon which
was pictured a horde of the peculiar inhabitants of that ghastly planet,
wreaking their frenzied electrical wrath upon everything within the
circle bared of native life by Roger's destructive beams. "I was just
going to suggest that we clean up the planetoid that Roger started to
build, but I see that the local boys and girls are attending to it."

"Just as well, perhaps. I would like to stay and study these people a
little while, but we must get back onto the trail of the Nevians," and
the _Boise_ leaped away into space, toward the line of flight of the
amphibians.

They reached that line and along it they traveled at full normal blast.
As they traveled their detecting receivers and amplifiers were reaching
out with their utmost power; ultra-instruments capable of rendering