ed after I saw Zack。
In the meantime I was bored； getting ready to wind up my on…pla affairs； and found this waif an interesting diversion。
Delightful； I should say。 Dora was a baby who was born grown…up。 Utterly innocent； ignorant in the fashion that a small child necessarily is； but most intelligent and delighted to learn anything。 There was no meanness in her anywhere； Minerva； and I found her na飗e conversation more entertaining than most talk of adults…usually trivial and rarely new。
Helen Mayberry took as much interest in Dora； and we two found ourselves in loco parentis without planning it。
We consulted each other and kept the baby girl away from the burial…some charred bones； including tiny ones of the baby that had never been born…and kept her away from the memorial service； too。 Some weeks later； when Dora seemed to be in good shape and after I had had time to have a gravestone cut and erected； I took her out there and let her see it。 She could read； and did…names and dates of her parents； and the single date for the baby。
She looked it over solemnly； then said； 〃That means Mama and Daddy' won't ever be ing back。 Doesn't it？〃
〃Yes； Dora。〃
〃That's what the kids at school said。 I wasn't sure。〃
〃I know； dear。 Aunt Helen told me。 So I thought you had better see for yourself。〃
She looked again at the headstone； then said gravely； 〃I see。 I guess I do。 Thank you； Uncle Gibbie。〃
She didn't cry； so I didn't have any excuse to pick her up and console her。 All I could think of to say was： 〃Do you want to go now； dear？〃
〃Yes。〃
We had ridden out on Buck； but I had left him at the foot of the hill； there being an unwritten rule against letting mules or tamed lopers walk on graves。 I asked if she wanted me to carry her…piggyback； perhaps。 She decided to walk。
Halfway down she stopped。 〃Uncle Gibbie？〃
〃Yes； Dora？〃
〃Let's not tell Buck about this。〃
〃All right； Dora。〃
〃He might cry。〃
〃We won't tell him； Dora。〃
She did not say any more until we were back at Mrs。 Mayberry's school。 Then she was very quiet for about two weeks； and never mentioned it again to me； nor…I think…to anyone。 She never asked to go back there； although we went riding almost every afternoon and often within sight of graveyard hill。
About two Earth…years later the Andy J。 arrived； and Captain Zack； my son by Phyllis； came down in the gig to make arrangements for landing the third wave of migrants。 We had a drink together； and I told him I was staying over another trip； and why。 He stared。 〃Lazarus； you are out of your mind。〃
I said quietly： 〃Don't call me Lazarus That name has had too much publicity。〃
He said； 〃All right。 Although there is no one around but our hostess…Mrs。 Mayberry； did you say？…and she's gone out to the kitchen。 Look； uh； Gibbons； I was thinking of making a couple of trips to Secundus。 Profit in it； and ways to invest our on Secundus…safer than investing on Earth now； things being the way they are。〃
I agreed that he was almost certainly right。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃but here's the point。 If I do； I won't be back this way for； oh； maybe ten standard years。 Or longer。 Oh； I will if you insist； you're majority shareholder。 But you'll be wasting your money and mine； too。 Look； Laz… Ernest； if you must take care of this kid…though I don't see that it's your obligation…e with me and bring her along。 You could put her in school on Earth…as long as you post bond to insure that she leaves。 Or perhaps she could settle on Secundus； although I don't know what the immigration rules are there now； it's been a long time since I've been there。〃
I shook my head。 〃What's ten years？ I can hold my breath that long。 Zack； I want to see this child grown up and able to make it on her own…married； I hope； but that's her business。 But I won't uproot her； she's had one shock of that sort and shouldn't have to soak up another while she's still a child。〃
〃On your head be it。 You want me back in ten years？ Is that long enough？'
〃More or less but don't rush。 Take time enough to show a profit。 If it takes longer； you'll pick up a better cargo here next time。 Something better than food and soft goods。〃
Zack said； 〃There is nothing better than food to ship to Earth these days。 S鄊etime soon we're going to have to stop touching at Earth； just trade among the colonies。〃
〃As bad as that？〃
〃Pretty bad。 They won't learn。 What's this about trouble over your bank？ Do you need a show of force while the 'Andy J。' is overhead？〃
I shook my head。 〃Thanks； Captain； but that's not the way to do it。 Or I would have to go along with you。 Force is an argument to use when nothing else will do and the issue is that important。 Instead I'm going to go limp on them。〃
Ernest Gibbons did not worry about his bank。 He never worried over any issue less important than life…and…death。
Instead he applied his brain to all problems large and small as they came along； and enjoyed life。
Especially he enjoyed helping raise Dora。 Right after he acquired her and the mule Buck…or they acquired him…he discarded the savage curb bit Learner had used （salvaging the metal） and had the Jones Brothers' harnessmaker convert the bridle into a hackamore。 He ordered also another saddle； sketching what he wanted and offering a bonus for early delivery。 The leathercrafter shook his head over that sketch； but delivered。
Thereafter Gibbons and the baby girl rode Buck in a saddle built for two： a man…sized saddle in the usual position； with a tiny saddle with tiny stirrups an integral part of it in that forward position where a normal saddle carries its pommel horn。 A little wooden arch； leather covered； curved up from this； a safety bar the child could grab； Gibbons also had this extended saddle fitted with two belly bands； more fortable for the mule； safer on steep trails for riders。
They rode that way several seasons； usually an hour or more after school…holding three…cornered conversations at a walk； or singing as a trio with Buck loudly off key but always on beat with his gait acting as a metronome； Gibbons carrying the lead； and Dora learning to harmonize。 It was often the 〃Paunshot〃 song； which Dora regarded as her own； and to which she gradually added verses； including one about the paddock next to the schoolhouse； where Buck lived。
But soon there was too much girl for the tiny forward saddle as Dora grew； straight and slender and tall。 Gibbons bought a mare mule； after trying two others…one was rejected by Buck because she was （so he…said） 〃shdoop'd〃 and the other because she failed to appreciate a hackamore and tried to run away。
Gibbons let Buck pick the third； with advice from Dora but none from him…and Buck acquired a mate in his paddock； and Gibbons had the stable enlarged。 Buck still stood at stud for a fee but seemed pleased to have Beulah at home。 However； Beulah did not learn to sing and talked very little。 Gibb