Igor sighed, sat down, and ran his hand through his hair.
After some minutes of gloomy silence, Helen said, "Couldn"t we go get it?"
"Eh? How"s that? How would you find him?"
"Could you findhim.Professor?"
Frost sat up. "I don"t know," he said slowly, "-but I"ll try!"
There was the city. Yes, and there was the same gate he had pa.s.sed through once before. He hurried on.
Star Light was glad to see him, but not particularly surprised. Frost wondered if anything could surprise this dreamy girl. But Howard more than made up for her lack of enthusiasm. He pounded Frost"s back hard enough to cause pleurisy. "Welcome home, Master! Welcome home! I didn"t know whether or not you would ever come, but we are ready for you. I had a room built for you and you alone, in case you ever showed up. What do you think of that? You are to live with us, you know. No sense in ever going back to that grubby school."
Frost thanked him, but added, "I came on business. I need your help, urgently."
"You do? Well, tell me, man, tell me!"
Frost explained. "So you see,I"ve got to take the secret of your blaster back to them. They need it.
They must have it."
"And they shall have it," agreed Howard.
Some time later the problem looked more complicated. Try as he would Frost was simply not able to soak up the technical knowledge necessary to be able to take the secret back. The pedagogical problem presented was as great as if an untutored savage were to be asked to comprehend radio engineering sufficiently to explain to engineers unfamiliar with radio how to build a major station. And Frost was by no means sure that he could take a blaster with him through the country of Time.
"Well," said Howard at last, "I shall simply have to go with you."
Star Light, who had listened quietly, showed her first acute interest."Darling! You must not-"
"Stop it," said Howard, his chin set stubbornly. "This is a matter of obligation and duty. You keep out of it."
Frost felt the acute embarra.s.sment one always feels when forced to overhear a husband and wife having a difference of opinion.
When they were ready.Frost took Howard by the wrist. "Look me in the eyes," he said, "You remember how we did it before?"
Howard was trembling. "I remember. Master, do you think you can do it-and not lose me?"
"I hope so," said Frost, "now relax."
They got back to the chamber from which Frost hadstarted, a circ.u.mstance which Frost greeted with relief. It would have been awkward to have to cross half a planet to find his friends. He was not sure yet just how the spatial dimensions fitted into the time dimensions. Someday he would have to study the matter, work outan hypothesis and try to check it.
Igor and Howard wasted little time on social amenities. They were deep into engineering matters before Helen had finished greeting the professor.
At long last- "There," said Howard, "I guess that covers everything. I"ll leave my blaster for a model.
Any more questions?"
"No," said Igor, "I understand it, and I"ve got every word you"ve said recorded. I wonder if you know what this means to us, old man? It unquestionably will win the war for us."
"I can guess," said Howard. "This little gadget is the mainstay of oursystemwidepax .Ready, Doctor.
I"m gettingkinda anxious,"
"But you"re not going, Doctor?" cried Helen. It was both a question and a protest.
"I"ve got to guide him back," said Frost.
"Yes," Howard confirmed, "but he is staying to live with us.Aren"t you.Master?"
"Oh, no!"It was Helen again.
Igor put an arm around her. "Don"t coax him," he told her. "You know he has not been happy here- I gather that Howard"s home would suit him better.If so, he"s earned it."
Helen thought about it, then came up to Frost, placed both hands on his shoulders, and kissed him, standing on tiptoe to do so."Goodbye, Doc," she said in a choky voice, "or anyhow, aurevoir !"
He reached up and patted one of her hands.
Frost lay in the sun, letting the rays soak into his old bones. It was certainly pleasant here. He missed Helen and Igor a little, but he suspected that they did not really miss him. And- life with Howard and Star Light was more to his liking. Officially he was tutor to their children, if and when. Actually he was just as lazy and useless as he had always wanted to be, with time on his hands.Time . . . Time.
There was just one thing that he wouldliked to have known: What did SergeantIzowsld say when he looked up and saw that the police wagon was empty? Probably thought it was impossible.
It did not matter. He was too lazy and sleepy to care. Time enough for a little nap before lunch. Time enough . . .
Time.