for. All
right, you can let him down now. Give me that pad and some water; I want
to see how much damage there is here."

Drew tried to turn his head away from the touch on his swollen cheek and
jaw, but he was held steady to endure it.

"Best we can do for the present. You can leave the rest to me, Nye."

Drew opened his eyes. There was a fire near-by, but the flickering of the
flames concealed more than they revealed of the face above him. He found
the words to say rather than ask:

"You knew ... before Johnny told ... you knew...."

"Teodoro told me--yesterday."

"I didn't lie. Johnny took the papers."

"He admitted it at the last. But why, why didn't you come to me?"

Put muddled feelings into words, attempt to explain what he did not fully
understand himself? It was hard even to try, but you always faced up to
the hard things.

"Wanted to know ... if it was right ... for both of us ... had to know
that."

"If you'd be welcome--that it? Well, what did you decide?"

What had he decided hours, days ago?

"Too late...." But somehow that came out differently than he intended, as
a question rather than a statement.

"No." The answer was uttered flatly, in a voice you did not argue with.
"Suppose we begin all over again. You willing to try?"

"Better say--are _you_, suh?" Drew had whirling memories of all that had
gone wrong since he had tried things his way. Then he saw a smile on his
father's face, bringing him in--in where? To what? Suddenly he was eager to
find out.

"Took the long way around to get home, didn't you?" Hunt Rennie asked
softly. "I think we can make it worth the effort. Now, suppose you try
some sleep--you've a pair of cracked ribs which'll have to be favored for a
while. I think you've been too knocked about lately to make good sense.
There'll be plenty of time."

Plenty of time.... Drew blinked. "Yes, suh." Obediently he shut his eyes.
A blanket was pulled up, tucked in about him. For a moment a warm hand
rested protectingly on his shoulder. And that reassuring pressure carried
over with him into sleep, as if what he had long sought without
recognizing was his, never to be lost again.

SCIENCE FICTION BY ANDRE NORTON

-------------------------------------------------------

THE TIME TRADERS

"Effectively utilizing the concept of time travel, the author ... has
written another imaginative, action-filled science fiction story for
teenag