Pali, which meant cliff, was applied to the skyscrapers or to any huge building. It, unlike puka, also retains its original meaning.'

Hal finished his cigarette, dropped it in an ashtray, and walked on down the hall to the dean's office. There he found Doctor Bob Kafziel Olvegssen sitting behind his desk.

Olvegssen, the senior, spoke first, of course. He had a slight Icelandic accent.

'Aloha, Yarrow. And what are you doing here?'

'Shalom, abba. I beg your pardon for appearing before you without an invitation. But I had to arrange several matters before I left.'

Olvegssen, a gray-haired middle-aged man of seventy, frowned.

'Left?'

Hal took the letter from his suitcase and handed it to Olvegssen.

'You may process it yourself later, of course. But I can save you valuable time by telling you it's another order to make a linguistic investigation.'

'You just got back from one!' said Olvegssen. 'How can they expect me to run this college efficiently and to the glory of the Sturch if they continually drag my staff away on wild word chases?'

'You're surely not criticizing the Urielites?' said Hal, not without a touch of malice. He did not like his superior, try though he had to overcome this unrealistic thinking on his part.

'Harumph! Of course not! I am incapable of doing so, and I resent your imputation that I might be!'

'Your pardon, abba,' said Hal. 'I would not dream of hinting at such a thing.'

'When must you leave?' said Olvegssen.

'On the first coach. Which, I believe, takes off in an hour.'