Earthmen hadn't acquired by
themselves--helping them get into space? What about that?"

Dor shrugged. "I'm not telling them anything, really. Just dropping a
few hints of the most elementary sort. Things they'd have figured out
soon anyway--and things they still have to work hard to make
practicable. Even if some of the inventions they've worked out so far
have enabled them to make enough money to live on nicely--after all,
those things are the merest toys to us--what could it possibly matter?"

Garf considered. This bickering was, as usual, getting them exactly
nowhere. He gave up. "All right, dear," he said. "You win; you're right,
of course, and I'm wrong. I only hope you won't bother so much with
talking to that Earth-slug on the radio after we're married."

Dor laughed a tinkly laugh and came into his waiting arms. "Darling,"
she cooed. "What a thing to say. I actually believe you're jealous--and
you know I only love you."

Which wasn't strictly true. The big Earthman _was_ cute, she thought,
and it was quaint of him to be in love with her, and to tell her so
every day over the radio built into the robot-nonapus. Of course, he was
inferior to her in every way, and she wouldn't think of marrying him or
anything like that. But even his inferiority was interesting, in a way.

Yes, it was nice to know he loved her.

And she loved him, too--like an amusing baby brother.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber's Note |
| |
| This etext was produced from "Future combined with Science |
| Fiction stories" September 1951. Extensive research did not |
| uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this |
| publication was renewed. |
| |
| |
| Errata |
| |
| The following typographical errors have been corrected: |
| |
| |Error |Correction | |
| |effected |affected | |
| |to to |to |