"Good," said the bearded man. "I see no reason to delay an instant." An extra horse had been provided for Dr. Peccary. He was on the point of being forcibly hoisted into the saddle when he was given a reprieve by a diversion of another kind. Approaching on the path through the center of the canyon, pedaling his bicycle frantically, came--Staghorn! * * * * * He rode up to the group and leapt from his seat, his face blue from exertion. He'd been climbing all the way from town. He stood gasping for breath while he dragged his big gold watch from his pocket and consulted the time. He managed a groan. "Only thirty minutes left. Miles to go! But it's down hill all the way; we can make it!" He shoved his bicycle forward. "On the handlebars, Dr. Peccary, quick!" Peccary would have liked nothing better. But his movement toward Staghorn was stopped instantly by the men who were trying to put him on his horse. "They're going to kill me!" he cried. "They're going to blow up my factory and kill me!" "No, no!" said Staghorn. "That can't be. The consequences would be disastrous." He turned to the bearded leader. "Look, Sir, I have no time to explain, and I'm sure you wouldn't believe me even if I did. All of you are illusions! This entire situation is nothing but a mathematical probability. And so I insist that you release my friend, Dr. Peccary, at once!" The bearded man was so amazed by this request that he forgot to take offense. He gaped at Staghorn. "Who are you? I can't imagine an immortal risking himself on a bicycle!" "At this moment I'm desperately mortal, and so is Dr. Peccary!" "Nonsense. Dr. Peccary is a hundred and forty-two years old!" "I've told you this situation has no existence in reality!" The bearded man stomped the ground. "I've been living on this planet fifty-five years. I know reality when I see it! And what's more, I'm beginning to think you _are_ one of the immortals. Even an immortal might show some courage when he knows he's going to be deprived of the Y Hormone." "If you must know, I'm Dr. Roger Staghorn! I can see that there's industry and education in this canyon and so it's possible you've heard of me. I have quite a record of scientific achievements back in the twentieth century." * * * * * At this announcement the bearded man goggled at him, then threw back his head and laughed uproariously. "You couldn't have picked a worse masquerade. Dr. Roger Staghorn died in 1994!" "I can't help that I'm Staghorn!" The bearded man stopped laughing and thrust his face forward threateningly. "You're a fraud! Because it so happens that _I'm_ Staghorn!" "You? Staghorn?" "I'm Henry Staghorn, great-grandson of the real Dr. Roger Staghorn!" "Impossible. I have no intention of ever getting married!"