ly under
Kinton's height of five-feet-ten, with a long, supple trunk. Under the
robes their scholars affected, the shortness of their two bowed legs was
not obvious; but the sight of the short, thick arms carried high before
their chests still left Kinton with a feeling of misproportion.

He should be used to it after ten years, he thought, but even the reds
or purples of the scales or the big teeth seemed more natural.

"I sympathize with your curiosity," he added. "It is a marvel that your
scientists have managed to measure the distances of so many stars."

He could tell that they were pleased by his admiration, and wondered yet
again why any little show of approval by him was so eagerly received.
Even though he was the first stellar visitor in their recorded history,
Kinton remained conscious of the fact that in many fields he was unable
to offer the Tepoktans any new ideas. In one or two ways, he believed,
no Terran could teach their experts anything.

"Then will you tell us, George, more about the problems of your first
space explorers?" came another question.

* * * * *

Before Kinton had formed his answer, the golden curtains at the rear of
the austerely simple chamber parted. Klaft, the Tepoktan serving the
current year as Kinton's chief aide, hurried toward the dais. The
twenty-odd members of the group fell silent on their polished stone
benches, turning their pointed visages to follow Klaft's progress.

The aide reached Kinton and bent to hiss and cluck into the latter's ear
in what he presumably considered an undertone. The Terran laboriously
spelled out the message inscribed on the limp, satiny paper held before
his eyes. Then he rose and took one step toward the waiting group.

"I regret I shall have to conclude this discussion," he announced. "I
am informed that another ship from space has reached the surface of
Tepokt. My presence is requested in case the crew are of my own planet."

Klaft excitedly skipped down to lead the way up the aisle, but Kinton
hesitated. Those in the audience were scholars or officials to whom
attendance at one of Kinton's limited number of personal lectures was
awarded as an honor.

They would hardly learn anything from him directly that was not
available in recordings made over the course of years. The Tepoktan
scientists, historians, and philosophers had respectfully but eagerly
gathered every crumb of information Kinton knowingly had t