. uh ... make
that 'temple.' He will show them how a spaceship is called down from the
skies."

Haruhiku gave him a straight-faced glance that was a masked guffaw. He
translated, and orders began to be shouted back and forth among the
Kappans, all the way to the top-most level of the construction. The
lieutenant called his pilot.

"I'll have him flash the scout an order to monitor the _Gemsbok_ and
transfer landing control as soon as they hear her on the air," he
explained.

Mayne nodded. He clutched the arm of the _Gemsbok_ operator, who was
being urged away by Igrillik and a group of warrior escorts.

"Just one thing, son," he shouted over the babble. "Forget about the
ship's call sign. You go on the air calling yourself Kappa Orionis
Central Control."

"Kappa Orionis Central...?" repeated the youth distrustfully.

"You've got it," said Mayne, and shoved him on his way. He turned to
Haruhiku. "The last thing to do is to send the helicopter for some
paint. I don't care if it _isn't_ dry when the _Diamond Belt_ touches
down--I want a sign over the door of this hut!"

"A sign?"

"Make it read 'Spaceport Number 1.' Two million is cheap enough for
buying a spaceport already in operation. There won't be any trouble,
since the Kappans promised the land."

Everyone seemed to be running somewhere. Mayne wiped his face with a
handkerchief and sat down beside Melin, who looked comfortable enough
with his head on the table.

From inside the hut, Mayne could hear snores that must have Voorhis as a
source; the rest of the _Gemsbok_ crewmen had followed the crowd to the
control tower that was also a temple. After a while, Haruhiku returned
and sat down across from Melin.

"Magnificent, Judge!" he said. "We might even get away with it."

"Of course we will," said Mayne, gazing at Melin and listening to
Voorhis. "After all, Hermes was the god of thieves, too!"

THE END

Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ September
1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and
typographical errors have been corrected without note.

End of Project Gutenberg's A Transmutation of Muddles, by Horace Brown Fyfe

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRANSMUTATION OF MUDDLES ***

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