The girl was silent. For a long time she sat, staring down into the water, resting her head against her knee. Harris began to become impatient. He fidgeted back and forth, resting first on one leg and then on the other. "Well, will you?" he said again. "It's important to the whole Garrison. What do you say?" He felt around in his pockets. "Maybe I could give you something. What do I have...." He brought out his lighter. "I could give you my lighter." The girl stood up, rising slowly, gracefully, without motion or effort. Harris' mouth fell open. How supple she was, gliding to her feet in a single motion! He blinked. Without effort she had stood, seemingly without _change_. All at once she was standing instead of sitting, standing and looking calmly at him, her small face expressionless. "Will you?" he said. "Yes. Come along." She turned away, moving toward the row of ferns. Harris followed quickly, stumbling across the rocks. "Fine," he said. "Thanks a lot. I'm very interested to meet these Pipers. Where are you taking me, to your village? How much time do we have before nightfall?" The girl did not answer. She had entered the ferns already, and Harris quickened his pace to keep from losing her. How silently she glided! "Wait," he called. "Wait for me." The girl paused, waiting for him, slim and lovely, looking silently back. He entered the ferns, hurrying after her. * * * * * "Well, I'll be damned!" Commander Cox said. "It sure didn't take you long." He leaped down the steps two at a time. "Let me give you a hand." Harris grinned, lugging his heavy suitcases. He set them down and breathed a sigh of relief. "It isn't worth it," he said. "I'm going to give up taking so much." "Come on inside. Soldier, give him a hand." A Patrolman hurried over and took one of the suitcases. The three men went inside and down the corridor to Harris' quarters. Harris unlocked the door and the Patrolman deposited his suitcase inside. "Thanks," Harris said. He set the other down beside it. "It's good to be back, even for a little while." "A little while?" "I just came back to settle my affairs. I have to return to Y-3 tomorrow morning." "Then you didn't solve the problem?" "I solved it, but I haven't _cured_ it. I'm going back and get to work right away. There's a lot to be done." "But you found out what it is?" "Yes. It was just what the men said. The Pipers." "The Pipers do exist?" "Yes." Harris nodded. "They do exist." He removed his coat and put it over the back of the chair. Then he went to the window and let it down. Warm spring air rushed into the room. He settled himself on the bed, leaning back. "The Pipers exist, all right--in the minds of the Garrison crew! To the crew, the Pipers are real. The crew created them. It's a mass hypnosis, a group projection, and all the men there have it, to some degree." "How did it start?"