“How did you get here?”

Both smiled, and it was Jay who answered. “Why, in our ship, of course. You’ve seen it, Steve. You’ve been watching us right along.”

“We’re just over there,” Flick added, nodding his cropped gray head to one side.

Steve turned his head toward the wall of the chamber, and Flick chuckled and said, “Of course I mean outside, Steve.”

“There you go taking too much for granted again,” Jay said disapprovingly.

Flick’s small mustache trembled in his irritation. “I wish you’d stop saying that, Jay. It’s all I’ve heard from you during this trip. You know as well as I do that there’s only so much we can tell Steve.”

“Oh, nonsense,” Jay retorted. “You’re always worrying about nothing. No wonder you’re gray long before your time. And wearing that ridiculous crew-cut doesn’t fool anyone, either.” He turned quickly to Steve, not wanting to give Flick an opportunity to speak just then. “Steve,” he explained, “we’re on the water out there. We arrived late yesterday afternoon, and of course we knew that you were watching us. We realize how concerned you’ve been. Please don’t be any longer.”

Flick said, “Actually, we’ve been just as concerned about you.”

Jay nodded his blue-black head in agreement. “That’s one of the reasons for this visit. I don’t believe we’ve ever been seen before. It’s quite …”

“Now, now, Jay,” Flick interrupted nervously. “You know what Julian said.”

“Worrying, always worrying, you and Julian. Just leave it to me to know how much to explain.”

“I’ve tried that before and it hasn’t worked out very well,” Flick answered gravely. He turned to Steve and smiled. “You mustn’t mind our bickering. This has been going on a long time.”

“Too long,” Jay said. “The next trip will be different. I’ll team up with Victor.”

“They won’t have it,” Flick answered. “You and Victor are too much alike.” He shrugged his thin shoulders, adding, “But it would be perfectly all right with me. In fact it would be a pleasure not to have to worry about you at all.”

Steve realized vaguely that none of this could be real. He couldn’t be thousands of feet deep within the walls of Azul Island, listening to these men argue as they might have done in any living room! It couldn’t be happening, and yet it was.

Finally Jay turned to him again. “I suppose old Flick is right in a way, Steve. Maybe you’d better just accept our being here. It’ll be easier on you.