rmy major strangled on a
mouthful of coffee; the security man turned beet red in the face and
Dr. Peterson's jaw bounced off his breastbone. Johnny, unable to hold
back an explosion of laughter, dashed for the back porch and collapsed.

* * * * *

The kitchen door slammed and Dr. Peterson stamped out on to the porch,
pipe clamped between clenched teeth, his face black with anger and
frustration. He ignored Johnny who was standing beside the rail wiping
tears from his eyes. Culpepper recovered himself and walked over to the
irate physicist.

"Dr. Peterson you're a man of science," Johnny said, "and a scientist
is supposed to be willing to accept a fact and then, possibly determine
the causes behind the fact after he recognizes what he sees. Isn't that
so?"

"Now, look here," Peterson angrily swung around to face Johnny. "I've
taken all I intend to take from you people with your idiotic story. I
don't intend to...."

Johnny took the older man by the elbow and gently but firmly propelled
him from the porch towards the barn. "I don't intend to either insult
your intelligence, Dr. Peterson, or attempt to explain what has
happened here. But I do intend to show you what we know."

Bright floodlights illuminated the yard and a crew of soldiers were
stringing telephone wires from the guarded front gate across the open
space to the ranch house. Beyond the new barbed wire fence, there was
an excited stir and rush for the wire as a sharp-eyed newsman spotted
Johnny and the scientist crossing the yard. The two men ignored the
shouted requests for more up-to-the-minute information as they walked
into the barn. Johnny switched on the lights.

The lowing of the two prize Guernseys in the stalls at the right of the
door changed to loud, plaintive bawling as the lights came on. Both
cows were obviously in pain from their swollen and unmilked udders.

"Seeing is believing. Doc?" Johnny asked, pointing to the cows.

"Seeing what?" Peterson snapped.

"I knew we were going to have some tall explaining to do when you
fellows took over here," Johnny said, "and, of course, I don't blame
you one bit. That was some blast Hetty set off out there."

"You don't know," Dr. Peterson murmured fearfully, "you just don't
know."

"So," Johnny continued, "I deliberately didn't milk these cows, so that
you could see for yourself that we aren't lying. Now, mind you, I don't
have the foggiest idea WHY th