Almost instinctively, Mitkey knew that he'd do well to avoid human beings until he'd reached Professor Oberburger and told his story. His worst danger proved to be the rats at the wharf where he swam ashore. They were ten times Mitkey's size and had teeth that could have taken him apart in two bites. But mind has always triumphed over matter. Mitkey pointed an imperious yellow glove and said, "Scram," and the rats scrammed. They'd never seen anything like Mitkey before, and they were impressed. [Illustration: "SCRAM!"] So for that matter, was the drunk of whom Mitkey inquired the way to Hartford. We mentioned that episode before. That was the only time Mitkey tried direct communication with strange human beings. He took, of course, every precaution. He addressed his remarks from a strategic position only inches away from a hole into which he could have popped. But it was the drunk who did the popping, without even waiting to answer Mitkey's question. [Illustration: "I BEG YOUR PARDON SIR, BUT, COULD YOU DIRECT ME TO HARTFORD?"] But he got there, finally. He made his way afoot to the north side of town and hid out behind a gas station until he heard a motorist who had pulled in for gasoline inquire the way to Hartford. And Mitkey was a stowaway when the car started up. The rest wasn't hard. The calculations of the Prxlians showed that the starting point of the rocket was five Earth miles north-west of what showed on their telescopomaps as a city, and which from the Professor's conversation Mitkey knew would be Hartford. He got there. VII "Hello, Brofessor." The Herr Professor Oberburger looked up, startled. There was no one in sight. "Vot?" he asked, of the air. "Who iss?" "It iss I, Brofessor. Mitkey, der mouse whom you sent to der moon. But I vas not there. Insteadt, I--" "Vot?? It iss imbossible. Somebody blays der choke. Budt--budt nobody _knows_ about that rocket. Vhen it vailed, I didn't told nobody. Nobody budt me knows--" "And me, Brofessor." The Herr Professor sighed heavily. "Offervork. I am going vhat they call battly in der bel--" "No, Brofessor. This is really me, Mitkey. I can talk now. Chust like you." "You say you can--I do not belief it. Vhy can I not see you, then. Vhere are you? Vhy don't you--" "I am hiding, Brofessor, in der valll chust behind der big hole. I vanted to be sure efferything vas ogay before I showed myself. Then you vould not get eggcited und throw something at me maybe." "Vot? Vhy, Mitkey, if it iss really you und I am nodt asleep or going--Vhy, Mitkey, you know better than to think I might do something like that!" "Ogay, Brofessor." Mitkey stepped out of the hole in the wall, and the Professor looked at him and rubbed his eyes and looked again and rubbed his eyes and-- "I _am_ grazy," he said finally. "Red bants he vears yet, und yellow--It gannot be. I _am_ grazy." "No, Brofessor. Listen, I'll tell you all aboudt." And Mitkey told him.