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           Theyenteredthearchesunderthetrees,andtheleafclustersandthelimbsweredarkagainstthesky.Thelittlemurmuringnoiseofthecampwaslost.Abarn-owl,screechingoverheadwitharippingsound,startledthemen.

           "That’sanowl,Jim,"Macexplained."He’shuntingmice."AndthentoBurton,"Jim’sneverbeeninthecountrymuch.Thethingsweknowarenewtohim.Let’ssitdownhere."

           Macandthedoctorsatonthegroundandleanedagainstthebigtrunkofanoldappletree.Jimsatinfrontofthem,foldinghislegsbeforehim.Thenightwasstill.Above,theblackleaveshungmotionlessinthequietair.

           Macspokesoftly,forthenightseemedtobelistening."You’reamysterytome,too,Doc.""Me?Amystery?"

           "Yes,you.You’renotaPartyman,butyouworkwithusallthetime;younevergetanythingforit.Idon’tknowwhetheryoubelieveinwhatwe’redoingornot,youneversay,youjustwork.I’vebeenoutwithyoubefore,andI’mnotsureyoubelieveinthecauseatall."

           Dr.Burtonlaughedsoftly."Itwouldbehardtosay.IcouldtellyousomeofthethingsIthink;youmightnotlikethem.I’mprettysureyouwouldn’tlikethem."

           "Well,let’shearthem,anyway."

           "Well,yousayIdon’tbelieveinthecause.That’slikenotbelievinginthemoon.There’vebeencommunesbefore,andtherewillbeagain.Butyoupeoplehaveanideathatifyoucanestablishthething,thejob’llbedone.Nothingstops,Mac.Ifyouwereabletoputanideaintoeffecttomorrow,itwouldstartchangingrightaway.Establishacommune,andthesamegradualfluxwillcontinue."