slowly. "My crazy voice is my bread and
butter. Can't you use somebody else? Somebody whose voice isn't his
life?"

"We've wasted weeks testing every man on this field," said Dr. Shalt
solemnly. "The average voice becomes static as soon as it gets past
Earth's atmosphere. But your voice can break through. I've studied every
vibration, every quiver of it. It bends and flexes with each cosmic
pressure. You _must_ let us try."

Crawford looked at Colonel Meadows.

"Robbie, I promise you there's no danger involved," the Colonel said.
"There's been a great deal of time and effort put into this project and
we'd like to see it work. This week Mars and Earth are the closest
they'll be for the next three years, so it must be done _now_. It's your
duty to help in this important project."

Crawford nodded. The matter of patriotism and duty had not occurred to
him. "Of course, Colonel, I'll be glad to help."

He looked down at the dummy. "What do you say, Spud? Want to be the
first voice to reach Mars?"

"Sounds crazy," came the high, squeaking reply. "But it ought to put us
in the history books." Spud's glass eyes shifted to the other two men in
the room and one lid winked. "Calling Mars! This is Spud O'Malley, old
quiver voice himself, coming in for a landing."

"Good! You'll do it," said Dr. Shalt excitedly. "And if we succeed the
publicity will be worldwide."

"Sure," said Crawford. "An actor likes publicity. But are you sure my
voice won't be strained?"

"I'm sure," Dr. Shalt said. "You'll be talking into a microphone in the
same tone you use for a broadcast. Nothing more."

"How long will it take?" asked Crawford.

Dr. Shalt checked his watch. "Fifteen minutes for the voice to reach
Mars and fifteen minutes for its return." He took out a black notebook
from his jacket pocket and began to outline the plan while Colonel
Meadows put through a call to the laboratory.

Spud's voice was to be relayed directly to a giant amplifying unit which
would project it into space. Those regulating the voice in the control
room would hear nothing but vibrations because of the high frequency it
would immediately attain while passing through. Only on its return from
Mars would Spud's voice become audible on Earth. It sounded fantastic
but Dr. Shalt spoke of it as if it were a certainty and Crawford knew he
was recognized as a great scientist.

A few minutes later Colonel Meadows hung up the phone. He said
excitedly, "Everything