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head to Wade Montray, “We’ve got to do it this way. Your son is old enough, and he’s notscared—are you, Larry? So all we have to do is tell the Altons that he’ll be proud and honored to visitthem—and say when.”
    Back again in their own apartment in Quarters A, Larry’s father swore under his breath, ceaselessly, foralmost a quarter of an hour. “And now you see what you’ve gotten yourself into,” he finished at last,viciously. “Larry, I don’t like it, I don’t like it, I don’t   like   it! And damn it, I suppose you’reoverjoyed—you’ve got what you want!”

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    Larry said, honestly, “It’s interesting, Dad. But I am a little scared. Reade wants me to go for all thewrong reasons.”
    “I’m glad you can see   that   , at least,” Montray snapped. “I ought to let you hang yourself. You got yourself into this. Just the same—” He grew silent; then he got up and came to his son, and took Larry by the shoulders again, looking very searchingly at him. His voice was gentler than Larry could remember hearing it in years.
    “Listen, son. If you really don’t want to get into this, I’ll get you out of it, somehow. You’re my son, not just a potential Empire employee. They can’t force you to go. Don’t worry about their putting pressure on me—I can always put in for a transfer somewhere else. I’ll   leave   the damned planet before I let them force you to play their games!”
    Larry, feeling his father’s hands on his shoulders, suddenly realized that he was being given achance—perhaps the last chance he would ever have—to return to the old, protected status of a child. He could be his father’s son again, and Dad would get him out of this. So the step he had taken, indeclaring himself a man, was not quite irrevocable after all. He could return to the safe age, and the pricewas very small. His father would take care of him.
    He found himself wanting to, almost desperately. He’d bitten off more than he could chew, and this washis chance to get out of it. The alternative would put him on his own, in a strange world, playing a strangepart, representing his Terran world all alone.
    And the Altons would know that his man’s decision had been a lie, that he clung to the safety ofbeing a Terran child hiding behind his society— He drew a long breath, and put his hands up over hisfather’s.
    “Thanks, Dad,” he said, warmly, meaning it. “I almost wish I could take you up on that. Honestly. But I have to go. As you say, I got myself into this, and I might as well get some good out of it—for all of you. Don’t worry, Dad-it’s going to be all right.”
    Montray’s hands tightened on his shoulders. His eyes met his son’s, and he said, “I was afraid you’d feelthat way, Larry—and I wish you didn’t. But I guess, being who you are, you’d have to. I could stillforbid you, I guess”—a wry smile flitted across his face—“but I’ve found out you’re too old for that, and I won’t even try.” He dropped his hands, but then a wide grin spread across his worried face.
    “Damn it, son—I still don’t like it—but I’m proud of you.”

    V

    «^»

    THE MORNING mist had burned off the hills, but still lay thick in the valley. Above the bank of pinkishcloud, the red sun hung in a bath of thinning mist. Larry looked down at the treetops emerging from thetop of the cloud, and drew a deep breath, savoring the strange scents of the alien forest.
    He rode last in the little column of six men. Ahead of him, Kennard looked round briefly, lifted a hand inacknowledgment of his grin, and turned back.

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    Larry had been at Armida, the outlying country estate of the Altons, for twelve days now. The journeyfrom the city had been tiring; he was not accustomed to riding, and though at first it had been a pleasantnovelty, he found himself thinking regretfully of the comfortable ground-cars and airships of Terran travel.
    But the slow trip through