Стража! Стража!

           It’saterriblethingtobenearlysixteenandthewrongspecies.

           "Wedidn’tliketosaysobefore,son,"saidhisfather."Wethoughtyou’dgrowoutofit,see."

           "Growoutofwhat?"saidCarrot.

           "Growing.Butnowyourmotherthinks,thatis,weboththink,it’stimeyouwentoutamongyourownkind.Imean,it’snotfair,keepingyoucoopedupherewithoutcompanyofyourownheight."Hisfathertwiddledalooserivetonhishelmet,asuresignthathewasworried."Er,"headded.

           "Butyou’remykind!"saidCarrotdesperately.

           "Inamannerofspeaking,yes,"saidhisfather.

           "Inanothermannerofspeaking,whichisarathermorepreciseandaccuratemannerofspeaking,no.It’sallthisgeneticsbusiness,yousee.Soitmightbeaverygoodideaifyouweretogooutandseesomethingoftheworld.’’

           "What,forgood?"

           "Oh,no!No.Ofcoursenot.Comebackandvisitwheneveryoulike.But,well,aladyourage,stuckdownhere...It’snotright.Youknow.Imean.Notachildanymore.Havingtoshufflearoundonyourkneesmostofthetime,andeverything.It’snotright."

           ’’Whatismyownkind,then?’’saidCarrot,bewildered.

           Theolddwarftookadeepbreath."You’rehuman,"hesaid.

           ’’What,likeMrVarneshi?’’MrVarneshidroveanox-cartupthemountaintrailsonceaweek,totradethingsforgold."OneoftheBigPeople?"