elf,
although she was not of quite such heroic proportions.

"I don't suppose that Seven is far away, is he?" Carfon asked of the
woman.

"Probably he is outside, near the flying ball. If he has not been
touching it ever since it came down, it is only because someone
stronger than he pushed him aside. You know how boys are," turning to
Dorothy with a smile as she spoke, "boy nature is probably universal."

"Pardon my curiosity, but why 'Seven'?" asked Dorothy, as she returned
the smile.

"He is the two thousand three hundred and forty-seventh Sacner Carfon in
direct male line of descent," she explained. "But perhaps Six has not
explained these things to you. Our population must not be allowed to
increase, therefore each couple can have only two children. It is
customary for the boy to be born first, and is given the name of his
father. The girl is younger, and is given her mother's name."

"That will now be changed," said Carfon feelingly. "These visitors have
given us the secret of power, and we shall be able to build new cities
and populate Dasor as she should he populated."

"Really?----" She checked herself, but a flame leaped to her eyes, and
her voice was none too steady as she addressed the visitors. "For that
we Dasorians thank you more than words can express. Perhaps you
strangers do not know what it means to want a dozen children with every
fiber of your being and to be allowed to have only two--we do, all too
well--I will call Seven."

She pressed a button, and up out of the opening in the middle of the
floor there shot a half-grown boy, swimming so rapidly that he scarcely
touched the coaming as he came to his feet. He glanced at the four
visitors, then ran up to Seaton and Crane.

"Please, sirs, may I ride, just a little short ride, in your vessel
before you go away?" This was said in their language.

"Seven!" boomed Carfon sternly, and the exuberant youth subsided.

"Pardon me, sirs, but I was so excited----"

"All right, son, no harm done at all. You bet you'll have a ride in the
_Skylark_ if your parents will let you." He turned to Carfon. "I'm not
so far beyond that stage myself that I'm not in sympathy with him.
Neither are you, unless I'm badly mistaken."

"I am very glad that you feel as you do. He would be delighted to
accompany us down to the office, and it will be something to remember
all the rest of his life."

"You have a little girl, too?" Dorothy asked the woman.

"Yes--woul