!!!!

           "Oh.Hello,Mike.My,youlookchipper."

           "Ifeelfine!Whereiseverybody?"

           "Everybody’sasleepbutyouandme–sokeepyourvoicedown.BenandStinkywenthomeanhouragoandpeoplestartedgoingtobed."

           "Oh."MikefeltmildlydisappointedthatMahmoudhadleft;hewantedtoexplaintohimhisnewgrokking.Buthewoulddoso,whennexthesawhim.

           "Ioughttobeasleep,too,butIfeltlikeasnack.Areyouhungry?"

           "Me?Sure,I’mhungry!"

           "Good.Yououghttobe,youmisseddinner.Comeon,Iknowthere’ssomecoldchickenandwe’llseewhatelse."Theywentdownstairs,loadedatraylavishly."Let’stakeitoutside.It’sstillplentywarm."

           "That’safineidea,"Mikeagreed.

           "Warmenoughtoswimifwewantedto–thisisarealIndiansummer.Justasecond,I’llswitchonthefloods."

           "Don’tbother,"Mikeanswered."I’llcarrythetray,Icansee."Hecouldsee,astheyallknew,inalmosttotaldarkness.Jubalsaidthathisexceptionalnight-sightprobablycamefromtheconditionsinwhichhehadgrownup,andMikegrokkedthatthatwastruebuthegrokkedalsothattherewasmoretoitthanthat;hisfosterparentshadtaughthimtosee.Asforthenightbeingwarmenough,hewouldhavebeencomfortablenakedonMountEverest,butheknewthathiswaterbrothershadverylittletoleranceforchangesintemperatureandpressure;hewasalwaysconsiderateoftheirweakness,oncehehadlearnedofit.