fleck of
yearning from me like water wrung from a cloth? My race needs nothing,
nothing--we long for nothing--we are the only self-sufficient beings in
creation--why do we remember the _al-kuhl?_"

"Like a _keef_-smoker," said Pinkham quietly. "You don't long for
anything else." After a little he added, "And you fear nothing save
lead."

"True," said the being distractedly. "If it were not for lead and
alcohol we would be perfect gods."

"Who are you?" Pink asked, conscious that his throat was constricted
with excitement. "When did you leave Earth? Why don't I recognize you,
out of history? What are you called?"

He had tried too hard. The alien rolled its dimmed eyes at him. "I wish
I could smile now," it said through motionless lips. "Ah, if I could
only smile knowingly! You will die today with that curiosity unslaked."

He was balefully angry at that; he leaped to his feet, thrusting out the
revolver. "If I throw another slug into you, it just might hurt some
more," he roared.

"I would rather die in pain than see your questions answered. I know
well that curiosity is the worst torment to an Englishman."

"I'm not English," said Pink.

"It's all the same. I might as well have said 'human.'"

Pink recalled that he had the Colt, and so could take a few chances.
"I'll trade you. One drop of brandy for each answer."

It considered. Then, without budging, it gave the effect of a shrug.
"Why not? You'll be dead soon."

"You're so sure," said Pink.

"Look at your scanner."

There was something in the words that sent Pink racing. He was only just
in time to see the finish of all his new-born hopes.

The _Cottabus_ and _Diogenes_ were approaching at a slowing pace; the
_Elephant's Child_ had deactivated her drive to wait for them. Whether
the captains of the sister ships saw them or not, Pink could not tell;
but a number of the space giants, so reduced in size as to be mere blots
on the screen, hovered in the area.

As the ships gradually lost speed, a giant appeared atop each, growing
rapidly from eight feet to a thousand, till they straddled the great
ships like riders on Shetland ponies.

The thing on the floor chuckled. "We are much more comfortable at that
size, you see, Captain. We don't like to cramp our molecular structure
into these puny dimensions. We can get into bottles--but we prefer to
expand as you see." Then it laughed. "Yes, there is one of us on your
own flagship at this instant, where