"And you want me to help you with this?"

"That is exactly what crossed my mind."

I nodded and looked grave and kneaded my chin for a moment softly.
"Well, now, Keech," I said finally, "why should I help you?"

"Ha!" said Keech, grinning, but not with humor, "the avarice of humans!
I knew it! Well, Mr. Houlihan, I'll give you reason enough. The pot o'
gold, Mr. Houlihan!"

"The one at the end of the rainbow?"

"It's not at the end of the rainbow. That's a grandmother's tale. Nor is
it actually in an earthen crock. But there's gold, all right, enough to
make you rich for the rest of your life. And I'll make you a
proposition."

"Go ahead."

"We'll not be needin' gold where we're goin'. It's yours if you show us
how to make our ship work."

"Well, now, that's quite an offer," I said. Keech had the goodness to
be quiet while I sat and thought for a while. My pipe had gone out and I
lit it again. I finally said, "Let's have a look at your ship's drive
and see what we can see."

"You accept the proposition then?"

"Let's have a look," I said, and that was all.

Well, we had a look, and then several looks, and before the morning was
out we had half the spaceship apart, and were deep in argument about the
whole project.

It was a most fascinating session. I had often wished for a true working
model at the center, but no allowance had been inserted in the budget
for it. Keech brought me paper and pencil and I talked with the aid of
diagrams, as engineers are wont to do. Although the pencils were small
and I had to hold them between thumb and forefinger, as you would a
needle, I was able to make many sensible observations and even a few
innovations.

I came back again the next day--and every day for the following two
weeks. It rained several times, but Keech and his people made a canopy
of boughs and leaves and I was comfortable enough. Every once in a while
someone from the town or the center itself would pass by, and stop to
watch me. But of course they wouldn't see the leprechauns or anything
the leprechauns had made, not being believers.

I would halt work, pass the time of day, and then, in subtle fashion,
send the intruder on his way. Keech and the little people just stood by
and grinned all the while.

At the end of sixteen days I had the entire problem all but whipped. It
is not difficult to understand why. The working model and the fact that
the small people with their quick eyes and clever finger