“The Martians don’t trust you,” Buster said. “You take over things.”
Lathrop nodded. It was, he realized, a legitimate criticism.
“They’re a cautious people,” Buster went on. “Caution played a part in the course they took. They wanted to be sure, you see. When the future of the race was at stake, they couldn’t take a chance. Now they’re afraid of the human race — not because of what it can do now, but what it might do later. And still they know you are the closest to them, in thought and temperament, of any peoples in the Universe. They feel that for that reason they should help you.”
“Look, Buster,” said Lathrop, “you told me they became small. You mean they went into a subatomic universe?”
“Yes,” said Buster. “They found a principle. It was based on the fourth dimension.”
“What has the fourth dimension got to do with being small?”
“I don’t know,” said Buster.
Lathrop got to his feet. “All right,” he said. “We’ll see Elmer now.”
He moved slowly down the stairs, the weapon dangling from a hand that swung by his side. Below Buster waited, meekly.
