Kirk looked at Eddie, the animal, real and alive, waiting patiently at the tips of Loren's fingers. "Eddie's been with Harry for a long time," he said. "Oh?" said Leo quietly. Loren's hand stroked the brown and yellow head. "Harry," Kirk said. "We're going to leave now. Are you ready?" Loren was silent. "You go up first, will you, Leo?" Kirk said. Leo looked at him, a faint frown touching his brow, then he began moving up the ladder to the air lock. Kirk waited until Leo had disappeared into the rocket, then he repeated, "We're going to leave now, Harry. Are you ready?" Loren remained motionless, his hand touching the animal's head. Suddenly he turned then and began moving slowly away through the brush, the brown and yellow creature bobbing beside him with queer rocker-like jumps. "Goodby, Harry," Kirk said. Finally he turned and climbed up the ladder. When he had gotten into his seat, he said, "Let's go, Leo," and he moved his hands to the controls. * * * * * The rocket settled into the quiet motion of its course through space. "But I don't get it," Leo said. "I really don't. All that time, and then all he has to do is walk a dozen yards and get into the rocket and he's going home. That's all he would have to do." "Why?" Kirk said. "Why?" said Leo, frowning. Kirk nodded, looking at the man. "Why?" ... THE END Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from _If: Worlds of Science Fiction_ March 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note. End of Project Gutenberg's 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces, by James McKimmey