"I mean no offense," said Jerry. "But if your words left my mind too free, too human somehow, the alien would sense it. And a ruse like this one might not work on a second attempt, once the alien had been apprised of our intent." "He did, sir," said Bob. "Word for word, as you told it to him." "Good," Jerry said. "Thank you, Doctor. And good night." "Uh--yes," said the man, finally realizing he was being peremptorily dismissed after coming all the way across the town from his warm bed in the black morning hours. "Good night to you, sir." * * * * * He fumbled his way out the door, and Jana, after a glance at Bob, shut it after him. Bob stood beside the control board, waiting as Jerry once more adjusted the helmet upon his head and lay back on the couch. "All right?" he called to the tech, as Jana, now walking nervously on tiptoe, though there'd been no injunction against noise, hurried to Bob's side and took his arm. "Ready, sir," Bob said, keeping his voice steady. "You've set the stopwatch?" warned Jerry. "I depress the starter the same instant I turn on the machine," said Bob. "All right, then," said Jerry. Bob's right hand threw a switch. Even as it snapped home, his left thumb had jabbed down upon the stopwatch button. The long red sweephand began clicking with relentless eagerness about the dial. On the couch Jerry stiffened, then relaxed. "You'd better stay with him," Bob cautioned Jana. "The machine's on automatic. If I'm not back on time, it'll take care of itself." "Back on time?" she gasped. "But you can't be, Bob. If what he said about the timing--" Bob shut his eyes and gripped his forehead between thumb and fingers. "Yes, of course. I'm being an idiot. This maneuver is something new. But--" he withdrew his hand from his face and smiled at the girl--"you stay with him anyhow. I'd feel better--safer--if you weren't with me and the others." "Yes, Bob," she said, in a faint shadow of her normal voice. "Be careful." Bob grinned with more confidence than he felt, turned and hurried from the room. Jana moved slowly across the floor to the couch where Jerry Norcriss lay in unnatural slumber, and stood staring down at his strange, young-old face, and her eyes were bright with quiet wonder.... V "What's this, what's this?" rasped Jerry's mind. "Where have I gotten to, now?" "It's all right," said a soothing voice. "You're with _me_, now." "Oh? Oh?" Jerry's mind said, snickering. "And who might _you_ be?" It was dark as he looked out through the alien eyes, but a quick patting of his paw across his face reassured him that his sharp white incisors, muzzle and stiff gray whiskers were intact and healthy. "How can I be you?" asked Jerry. "If I'm a gray rat and you're a gray rat, what am I doing here?" "You've come to spy on me, I know," said the soothing voice. "But see? You have nothing to fear, nothing at all. I'm not going to hurt you. You find no menace in me. Do you?"