They abandoned the leaf boat as the foot of a sign, which in their compact Earth-translation scheme provided by one milligram of the pill they had taken, said, Forty-second Street. They scaled the elevated structures with almost natural animal precision and carefully dodged the ground vehicles that sped toward them on ramps. Then they were on the premises of their destination. A large white building touching the sky, and beside it a curved, oblong structure which Threlkeld whispered contained Earth's government. "He is to be a diplomat?" she asked. "Sh," he said, as people hurried past them, turning to inspect Gelerie's brief toggery. They ascended a ramp to the glassed foyer. Then they were inside, gaping at the height of the ceiling, at the overhanging balconies. A young woman with Oriental qualities approached them. "May I be of assistance?" "Oh, Father," Gelerie said, fascinated at the human voice. "We wish," Threlkeld began guardedly, "to speak with the youngest member of the world government--" "That would be the Congo, sir." "Not nation. Individual staff member. Person. Human. Youngest in years," Threlkeld explained. "Twenty-one is generally as young as anyone is allowed--as clerks and aides, sir. That would be the minimum age. Diplomatic corpsmen are usually considerably older." "Very well. The nearest and youngest of the aides." "I can think of Monsieur Joffrion of France or Sahib Masher of Arabia." Threlkeld was now weeding out difficulties. Homekind had given them access to one language only. "Someone who speaks the language I am speaking." The girl frowned. "Sir, you do not know what language you speak?" A bolt of fear shot through Threlkeld's earth stomach. "Of course I know. The point is, do you know?" "English," the frustrated guide said. "Very well, I will secure Mr. Twitty of the British delegation. Come this way, sir, madam." Threlkeld forced a deep intake of oxygen. He smiled at Gelerie and they followed the girl to an elevator. When they alighted, they were escorted down a hall to the doorway marked, _Delegation of the United Kingdom_. Then the guide turned to Threlkeld and said, "I have instructions to learn the nature of your mission before introducing you, sir." Threlkeld had hoped it would not come to this. But better to tell the girl than foil the chance now. "I want the young man to fall in love with my daughter. Then I am going to kidnap him and whisk him off to a faraway planet." There, he had said it. Homekind had told him to say it if necessary. The truth would be the one thing the Earthlings would never believe, they had told him. The Oriental girl laughed and said, "Sir, I admit defeat. Mr. Twitty will have to take it from here." She stuck her head inside the door and whistled softly. "Pip, pip, Yu-lin," came the juvenile voice of the young man inside. "What's the bother, old girl?" "A man and his daughter to see you." "And the nature of their visit?"