o scholarly pursuits. Within a year, gardens flourished;
within two years herds grazed the grassy slopes; within three years
cloth was being woven on looms in the ancient way and most of the
homespun arts of an agrarian society had been revived. Men fell sick
and men died, but the survivors lived in amity. Harry Collins
celebrated his sixtieth birthday as the equivalent of a second-year
student of medicine; his instructor being his own son. Everyone was
studying some subject, acquiring some new skill. One-time rebellious
natures and one-time biological oddities alike were united by the
common bond of intellectual curiosity.

It was, however, no Utopia. Some of the younger men wanted women, and
there were no women. Some were irked by confinement and wandered off;
three of the fleet of eleven 'copters were stolen by groups of
malcontents. From time to time there would be a serious quarrel. Six
men were murdered. The population dwindled to four hundred and twenty.

But there was progress, in the main. Eventually Banning joined the
group, from the ranch, and under his guidance the study-system was
formalized. Attempts were made to project the future situation, to
prepare for the day when it would be possible to venture safely into
the outside world once again and utilize newly-won abilities.

Nobody could predict when that would be, nor what kind of world would
await their coming. By the time the fifth year had passed, even
shortwave reports had long since ceased. Rumors persisted that
radioactive contamination was widespread, that the population had been
virtually decimated, that the government had fallen, that the
Naturalists had set up their own reign only to fall victim to internal
strife.

"But one thing is certain," Harry Collins told his companions as they
assembled in the usual monthly meeting on the grounds before the old
headquarters building one afternoon in July. "The fighting will end
soon. If we hear nothing more within the next few months, we'll send
out observation parties. Once we determine the exact situation, we can
plan accordingly. The world is going to need what we can give. It will
use what we have learned. It will accept our aid. One of these days--"

And he went on to outline a carefully-calculated program of making
contact with the powers that be, or might be. It sounded logical and
even the chronic grumblers and habitual pessimists in the group were
encouraged.

If at times they felt the si