The Big Front Yard and Other Stories by Clifford D. Simak Page B

exactly it,” said Taine, “but I need some help. I need a chemist or a paint manufacturer or someone to explain how paint is made. And I need some professor or other who’ll understand what they’re talking about when they tell me the idea of the saddle.”
    â€œI see,” said Lancaster. “Yes, indeed, you have a problem. Mr. Taine, you seem to me a man of some discernment –”
    â€œOh, he’s all of that,” interrupted Henry. “Hiram’s quite astute.”
    â€œSo I suppose you’ll understand,” said the U.N. man, “that this whole procedure is quite irregular –”
    â€œBut it’s not,” exploded Taine. “That’s the way they operate. They open up a planet and then they exchange ideas. They’ve been doing that with other planets for a long, long time. And ideas are all they want, just the new ideas, because that is the way to keep on building a technology and culture. And they have a lot of ideas, sir, that the human race can use.”
    â€œThat is just the point,” said Lancaster. “This is perhaps the most important thing that has ever happened to we humans. In just a short year’s time we can obtain data and ideas that will put us ahead – theoretically, at least – by a thousand years. And in a thing that is so important, we should have experts on the job –”
    â€œBut,” protested Henry, “you can’t find a man who’ll do a better dickering job than Hiram. When you dicker with him your back teeth aren’t safe. Why don’t you leave him be? He’ll do a job for you. You can get your experts and your planning groups together and let Hiram front for you. These folks have accepted him and have proved they’ll do business with him and what more do you want? All he needs is just a little help.”
    Beasly came over and faced the U.N. man.
    â€œI won’t work with no one else,” he said. “If you kick Hiram out of here, then I go along with him. Hiram’s the only person who ever treated me like a human –”
    â€œThere, you see!” Henry said, triumphantly.
    â€œNow, wait a second, Beasly,” said the U.N. man. “We could make it worth your while. I should imagine that an interpreter in a situation such as this could command a handsome salary.”
    â€œMoney don’t mean a thing to me,” said Beasly. “It won’t buy me friends. People still will laugh at me.”
    â€œHe means it, mister,” Henry warned. “There isn’t anyone who can be as stubborn as Beasly. I know; he used to work for us.”
    The U.N. man looked flabbergasted and not a little desperate.
    â€œIt will take you quite some time,” Henry pointed out, “to find another telepath – leastwise one who can talk to these people here.”
    The U.N. man looked as if he were strangling. “I doubt,” he said, “there’s another one on Earth.”
    â€œWell, all right,” said Beasly, brutally, “let’s make up our minds. I ain’t standing here all day.”
    â€œAll right,” cried the U.N. man. “You two go ahead. Please, will you go ahead? This is a chance we can’t let slip through our fingers. Is there anything you want? Anything I can do for you?”
    â€œYes, there is,” said Taine. “There’ll be the boys from Washington and bigwigs from other countries. Just keep them off my back.”
    â€œI’ll explain most carefully to everyone. There’ll be no interference.”
    â€œAnd I need that chemist and someone who’ll know about the saddles. And I need them quick. I can stall these boys a little longer, but not for too much longer.”
    â€œAnyone you need,” said the U.N. man. “Anyone at all. I’ll have them here in hours. And in a day or two there’ll be a pool of experts waiting for you whenever you may need them