Kellon stood up. "No."
"You can't ignore an order—"
"We won't be here tomorrow," said Kellon. "It is my responsibility to get the ship off Earth in ample time for safety. We take off in the morning."
Borrodale was silent for a moment, and when he spoke his voice had a puzzled quality.
"You're advancing things just to block our broadcast, of course. I just can't understand your attitude."
Well, Kellon thought, he couldn't quite understand it himself, so how could he explain it? He remained silent, and Borrodale looked at him and then at the old house.
"Yet maybe I do understand," Borrodale said thoughtfully, after a moment. "You've come here often, by yourself. A man can get too friendly with ghosts—"
Kellon said roughly, "Don't talk nonsense. We'd better get back to the ship, there's plenty to do before take off."
Borrodale did not speak as they went back out of the moonlit valley. He looked back once, but Kellon did not look back.