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pt these。
Little Fuzzy looked the can over； decided that the lid was a member of the class of things…that…screwed…onto…things and got it off。 The inside of the lid was mirror…shiny； and it took him a little thought to discover that what he saw in it was only himself。 He yeeked about that； and looked into the can。 This； he decided； belonged to the class of things…that…can…be…dumped； like wastebaskets； so he dumped it on the floor。 Then he began examining the stones and sorting them by color。
Except for an interest in colorful views on the screen； this was the first real evidence that Fuzzies possessed color perception。 He proceeded to give further and more impressive proof； laying out the stones by shade； in correct spectral order； from a lump of amethyst like quartz to a dark red stone。 Well； maybe he'd seen rainbows。 Maybe he'd lived near a big misty waterfall； where there was always a rainbow when the sun was shining。 Or maybe that was just his natural way of seeing colors。
Then； when he saw what he had to work with； he began making arrangements with them； laying them out in odd circular and spiral patterns。 Each time he finished a pattern； he would yeek happily to call attention to it； sit and look at it for a while； and then take it apart and start a new one。 Little Fuzzy was capable of artistic gratification too。 He made useless things； just for the pleasure of making and looking at them。
Finally； he put the stones back into the tin； put the lid on and rolled it into the bedroom； righting it beside his bed along with his other treasures。 The new weapon he laid on the blanket beside him when he went to bed。
THE NEXT MORNING； Jack broke up a whole cake of Extee Three and put it down； filled the bowl with water； and； after making sure he had left nothing lying around that Little Fuzzy could damage or on which he might hurt himself； took the manipulator up to the diggings。 He worked all morning； cracking nearly a ton and a half of flint； and found nothing。 Then he set off a string of shots； brought down an avalanche of sandstone and exposed more flint； and sat down under a pool…ball tree to eat his lunch。
Half an hour after he went back to work； he found the fossil of some jellyfish that hadn't eaten the right things in the right binations； but a little later； he found four nodules； one after another； and two of them were sunstones； four or five chunks later； he found a third。 Why； this must be the Dying Place of the Jellyfish！ By late afternoon； when he had cleaned up all his loose flint； he had nine； including one deep red monster an inch in diameter。 There must have been some connection current in the ancient ocean that had swirled them all into this one place。 He considered setting off some more shots； decided that it was too late and returned to camp。
〃Little Fuzzy！〃 he called； opening the living…room door。 〃Where are you； Little Fuzzy？ Pappy Jack's rich； we're going to celebrate！〃
Silence。 He called again； still no reply or scamper of feet。 Probably cleaned up all the prawns around the camp and went hunting farther into the woods； thought Jack。 Unbuckling his gun and dropping it onto the table； he went out to the kitchen。 Most of the Extee Three was gone。 In the bedroom； he found that Little Fuzzy had dumped the stones out of the biscuit tin and made an arrangement； and laid the wood chisel in a neat diagonal across the blanket。
After getting dinner assembled and in the oven； he went out and called for a while； then mixed a highball and took it into the living room； sitting down with it to go over his day's findings。 Rather incredulously； he realized that he had cracked out at least seventy…five thousand sols' worth of stones today。 He put them into the bag and sat sipping the highball and thinking pleasant thoughts until the bell on the stove warned him that dinner was ready。
He ate alone…after all the years he had been doing that contentedly； it had suddenly bee intolerable…and in the evening he dialed through his microfilm library； finding only books he had read and reread a dozen times； or books he kept for reference。 Several times he thought he heard the little door open； but each time he was mistaken。 Finally he went to bed。
As soon as he woke； he looked across at the folded blanket； but the wood chisel was still lying athwart it。 He put down more Extee Three and changed the water in the bowl before leaving for the diggings。 That day he found three more sunstones； and put them in the bag mechanically and without pleasure。 He quit work early and spent over an hour spiraling around the camp； but saw nothing。 The Extee Three in the kitchen was untouched。
Maybe the little fellow ran into something too big for him； even with his fine new weapon…a hobthrush； or a bush…goblin； or another harpy。 Or maybe he'd just gotten tired staying in one place； and had moved on。
No； he'd liked it here。 He'd had fun； and been happy。 He shook his head sadly。 Once he； too； had lived in a pleasant place； where he'd had fun； and could have been happy if he hadn't thought there was something he'd had to do。 So he had gone away； leaving grieved people behind him。 Maybe that was how it was with Little Fuzzy。 Maybe he didn't realize how much of a place he had made for himself here； or how empty he was leaving it。
He started for the kitchen to get a drink； and checked himself。 Take a drink because you pity yourself； and then the drink pities you and has a drink； and then two good drinks get together and that calls for drinks all around。 No； he'd have one drink； maybe a little bigger than usual； before he went to bed。
CHAPTER THREE
HE STARTED AWAKE； rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock。 Past twenty…two hundred； now it really was time for a drink； and then to bed。 He rose stiffly and went out to the kitchen； pouring the whisky and bringing it in to the table desk； where he sat down and got out his diary。 He was almost finished with the day's entry when the little door behind him opened and a small voice said； 〃Yeeek。〃 He turned quickly。
〃Little Fuzzy？〃
The small sound was repeated； impatiently。 Little Fuzzy was holding the door open； and there was an answer from outside。 Then another Fuzzy came in； and another； four of them； one carrying a tiny； squirming ball of white fur in her arms。 They all had prawn…killers like the one in the drawer； and they stopped just inside the room and gaped about them in bewilderment。 Then； laying down his weapon； Little Fuzzy ran to him； stooping from the chair； he caught him and then sat down on the floor with him。
〃So that's why you ran off and worried Pappy Jack？ You wanted your family here； too！〃
The others piled the things they were carrying with Little Fuzzy's steel weapon and approached hesitantly。 He talked to them； and so did Little Fuzzy…at least it sounded like that and finally one came over and fingered his shirt； and then reached up and pulled his mustache。 Soon all of them were climbing onto him； even the female with the baby。 It was small enough to sit on his palm； but in a minute it had climbed to his shoulder； and then it was sitting on his head。
〃You people want dinner？〃 he asked。