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Faintly, faintly, ht, caer

The ht arhts when I was a kid," said Driscoll "My brother and I waited for the hottest night in July and then we slept on the Court House lawn, counting the stars, talking; it was a great night, the best night of the year, and nohen I think back on it, the best night of ht, of course"

"I keep thinking about Chatterton," said Koestler

"Don't," said Forester "We'll sleep a few hours and take off We can't chance staying here another day I don't ot Chatterton No Ithis world too much We'd never want to leave"

A soft wind blew over them

"I don't want to leave now" Driscoll put his hands behind his head, lying quietly "And it doesn't want us to leave"

"If we go back to Earth and tell everyone what a lovely planet it is, what then, Captain? They'll co in here and ruin it"

"No," said Forester idly "First, this planet wouldn't put up with a full-scale invasion I don't knohat it'd do, but it could probably think of sos Secondly, I like this planet too o back to Earth and lie about it Say it's hostile Which it would be to the average uess on't be lying after all"

"Funny thing," said Koestler "I'm not afraid Chatterton vanishes, is killed most horr

ibly, perhaps, yet we lie here, no one runs, no one treht We trust it, and it trusts us"

"Did you notice, after you drank just so much of the ater, you didn't want more? A world of moderation"

They lay listening to so slowly and warmly under their bodies

Forester thought, I'm thirsty

A drop of rain splashed on his lips

He laughed quietly