Suzy was ahead of her racing feet when Eddie intercepted her. she answered yes and no to Eddie's casual comments on the weather, but not only did she not hear the comments, she didn't know Eddie was beside her.

she went up the steps of Western Biological without seeing Whitey No. 2 standing guard with a sashweight. her coming relieved him of a duty, but he stuck around to hear.

at the top of the steps Suzy became a breathless, shy girl, and, as anybody knows, there is nothing more indestructible and deadly than a shy young girl. she paused to get her breath and then knocked on the door and went in and forgot to close the door -- which was good for Whitey No. 2.

Doc was sitting on his cot gloomily regarding the pile of collecting paraphernalia on the floor.

"i heard you was hurt," Suzy said gently. "i come to see if there was anything i could do."

for a moment Doc's face lightened, then gloom descended. "this shoots the spring tides," he said, staring at the white cast. "i don't know what i'll do."

"does it hurt much?" Suzy asked.

"some. it will hurt more later, i guess."

"i'll go down to La Jolla with you."

"and turn over rocks that weigh fifty or a hundred pounds?"

"i ain't put together with spit," said Suzy.

"can you drive a car?"

"sure," said Suzy.

"you can't do it," he said. and then, from way down in the deep part of him, there came a bubbling shout, "sure you can! i need you, Suzy. i need you to go with me. it will be terribly hard work and i'm pretty near helpless."

"you can tell me what to do and what to look for."

"sure i can. and i'm not entirely helpless. i can use my left hand."

"it's a cinch," said Suzy. "when do we start?"

"i've got to go tonight. if we drive all night we can make the tide at seven-eighteen tomorrow morning. think you can make it?"

"cinch," said Suzy. "if you need me."

"i need you all right. i'd be lost without you. but you'll be a tired kid."

"who cares?" said Suzy.

"i want to ask you someting," said Doc. "Old Jingleballicks has set up a foundation for me at Cal Tech."

"why not?"

"i don't have to work there."

"fine."

"i don't know whether i oughtn't to throw it in his face."

"why don't you?"

"on the other hand, there's all the wonderful equipment."

"fine," said Suzy.

"i don't like to work for anybody."

"give it back."

"but there's an invitation to read my paper before the Academy of Science."

"do it then."

"i don't know whether i can even write the paper. what shall i do, Suzy?"

"what do you want to do?"

"i don't know."

"what's wrong with that? say, Doc, i got to do a couple of things. take me maybe two hours. that too long?"

"just as long as we start by evening."

"i'll come back soon's i finish."

Doc said, "Suzy, i love you."

she was headed for the door. she whirled around and faced him. her brows were straight and her mouth taut. then she took a slow breath and her lips became full and turned up at the corners and her eyes shone with incredible excitement.

"brother," said Suzy, "you got yourself a girl!"