I went back to the Lucky Pierre and got Yurt. We could do without him, even though he had been a big help. We'd taught him a lot—he'd been a child at the blow-up, too—and he'd taught us a lot. But this was more important, of course.
When I told him what had happened, he was very quiet; crying, perhaps, just like a human being, with happiness.
Cap Feldman asked me what was up, and I told him, and he said, "Well, I'll be blessed!"
I said, "Yurt, are you sure you want us to keep hands off ... just go off and leave you?"
"Yes, please."
Feldman said, "Well, I'll be blessed."
Yurt, who spoke excellent English, said, "Bless you all."
I took him back to where the female waited. From the ridge, I knew, the entire crew was watching through binocs. I set him down, and he fell to studying her intently.
"I am not a Zen," I told her, giving my torch full brilliance for the crew's sake, "but Yurt here is. Do you see ... I mean, do you know what you look like?"