h other. They must be a good race, and we have seen excellent
examples in you.

"We can realize your desire to return home, but we ask you to come
again. We will remember that you are not ten million light years, but
five days, from our planet."

When the conference was ended, Arcot and his friends returned to their
ship. Torlos was waiting for them outside the airlock.

"Abaout haow saon you laive?" he asked in English.

"Why--tomorrow," Arcot said, in surprise. "Have you been practicing our
language?"

Torlos reverted to telepathy. "Yes, but that is not what I came to talk
to you about. Arcot--can a man of Nansal visit Earth?" Anxiously,
hopefully, and hesitatingly, he asked. "I could come back on one of your
commercial vessels, or come back when you return. And--and I'm sure I
could earn my living on your world! I'm not hard to feed, you know!" He
half smiled, but he was too much in earnest to make a perfect success.

Arcot was amazed that he should ask. It was an idea he would very much
like to see fulfilled. The idea of metal-boned men with tremendous
strength and strange molecular-motion muscles would inspire no
friendship, no feeling of kinship, in the people of Earth. But the man
himself--a pleasant, kindly, sincere, intelligent giant--would be a far
greater argument for the world of Nansal that the most vivid orator
would ever be.

Arcot asked the others, and the vote was unanimous--let him come!

The next day, amid great ceremony, the first of the new Nansalian ships
came from the factories. When the celebration was over, the four
Earthmen and the giant Torlos entered the _Ancient Mariner_.

"Ready to go, Torlos?" Arcot grinned.

"Pearfactly, Ahcut. Tse soonah tse bettah!" he said in his oddly
accented English.

Five hours saw them out of the galaxy. Twelve hours more, and they were
heading for home at full speed, well out in space.

The Home Galaxy was looming large when they next stopped for
observation. Old Tharlano had guided them correctly!

They were going home!

CLASSICS OF GREAT SCIENCE-FICTION
from ACE BOOKS

G-547 (50 cents) THE BLIND SPOT
by Austin Hall and H. E. Flint

F-318 (40 cents) THE SPOT OF LIFE
by Austin Hall

F-319 (40 cents) CRASHING SUNS
by Edmond Hamilton

F-327 (40 cents) THE DARK WORLD
by Henry Kuttner

F-343 (40 cents) THE EXILE OF TIME
by Ray Cummings

F-344 (40 cents) THE WELL OF THE WORLDS
by Henry Kuttner

F-345 (40 cents) THE LORD OF DEATH