ok a few deep breaths to
bring himself back to normal, and then carefully and nonchalantly
sauntered past. (They were walking in the general direction of the barn,
he noticed, but not dead on.)

He said, "Hi, Dad. Hello, sir."

The Industrialist said, "Just a moment, Red. I have a question to ask
you?"

Red turned a carefully blank face to his father. "Yes, Dad?"

"Mother tells me you were out early this morning."

"Not real early, Dad. Just a little before breakfast."

"She said you told her it was because you had been awakened during the
night and didn't go back to sleep."

Red waited before answering. Should he have told Mom that?

Then he said, "Yes, sir."

"What was it that awakened you?"

Red saw no harm in it. He said, "I don't know, Dad. It sounded like
thunder, sort of, and like a collision, sort of."

"Could you tell where it came from?"

"It _sounded_ like it was out by the hill." That was truthful, and
useful as well, since the direction was almost opposite that in which
the barn lay.

The Industrialist looked at his guest. "I suppose it would do no harm to
walk toward the hill."

The Astronomer said, "I am ready."

Red watched them walk away and when he turned he saw Slim peering
cautiously out from among the briars of a hedge.

Red waved at him. "Come on."

Slim stepped out and approached. "Did they say anything about the meat?"

"No. I guess they don't know about that. They went down to the hill."

"What for?"

"Search me. They kept asking about the noise I heard. Listen, did the
animals eat the meat?"

"Well," said Slim, cautiously, "they were sort of _looking_ at it and
smelling it or something."

"Okay," Red said, "I guess they'll eat it. Holy Smokes, they've got to
eat _something_. Let's walk along toward the hill and see what Dad and
your father are going to do."

"What about the animals?"

"They'll be all right. A fellow can't spend all his time on them. Did
you give them water?"

"Sure. They drank that."

"See. Come on. We'll look at them after lunch. I tell you what. We'll
bring them fruit. Anything'll eat fruit."

Together they trotted up the rise, Red, as usual, in the lead.

V

The Astronomer said, "You think the noise was their ship landing?"

"Don't you think it could be?"

"If it were, they may all be dead."

"Perhaps not." The Industrialist frowned.

"If they have landed, and are still alive, where are they?"

"Think about that for a while."