Through Time and Space With Benedict Breadfruit By GRANDALL BARRETTON [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October 1962. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] _Through Time and Space With Benedict Breadfruit: I_ On the ancient planet of Phogiu II, the natives were in a terrible tizzy. Their local god--a huge, intelligent lichen which covered a fifth of the habitable surface of Phogiu II, was dying. Naturally, they sent for Benedict Breadfruit. He took one look at the lichen and said: "It is obvious that the fungi part of this intelligent symbiotic organism is in good health. The other part, however--" He gave it a shot of vitamins and a chlorophyll pill. The Great Lichen immediately spruced up and began delivering its deep pronunciamentos with the proper punctilio. "What was wrong with it?" asked one of the natives. "Nothing serious," said Benedict Breadfruit. "All it needed was an algae buttress." --GRANDALL BARRETTON _Through Time and Space With Benedict Breadfruit: II_ The accepted method for removing space lice from the hull of a ship was by sandblasting, but the boys around the space docks noticed that Benedict Breadfruit's shiny hull was not pitted either by space lice or by sandblasting. Breadfruit used hydrogen cyanide to remove the pests, but he had never told anyone about it. "Come, Breadfruit," said one of the spaceport officials, "tell us how you remove your burden of pediculous pests!" Breadfruit gestured at his HCN generator. "I gas 'em off." --GRANDALL BARRETTON _Through Time and Space With Benedict Breadfruit: III_ "Father," said Benedict Breadfruit's son, Benedict II, "look at that robot over there! How can a machine in such horribly battered condition move about?" Benedict Breadfruit looked sorrowfully at his offspring. "Haven't you ever seen junk amble, Junior?" --GRANDALL BARRETTON _Through Time and Space With Benedict Breadfruit: IV_ "But what will they do with the robot when it becomes too decrepit to move?" persisted the boy. Breadfruit pointed to a large vat of bubbling acid in the public square. "They'll throw him in the pool, yonder, son." --GRANDALL BARRETTON _Through Time and Space With Benedict Breadfruit: V_ On the planet Tenta I, plants of the melon and related families were so rare that the king himself had issued a royal fiat to protect them. Not knowing this, Benedict Breadfruit's young son started to pick a pumpkin. Fortunately, his father stopped him in time.