scussing," Burris said. He gave Malone a bright,
blank stare. "Just listen to me."

"Yes, sir."

"All right, then." Burris took a deep breath. He seemed nervous. Once
again he stood up and went to the window. This time, he spoke without
turning. "Remember how everybody used to laugh about spaceships, and
orbital satellites, and life on other planets? That was just in those
'Lucky Starr' books. That was all just for kids, wasn't it?"

"Well, I don't know," Malone said slowly.

"Sure it was all for kids," Burris said. "It was laughable. Nobody took
it seriously."

"Well, _somebody_ must--"

"You just keep quiet and listen," Burris said.

"Yes, sir," Malone said.

Burris nodded. His hands were clasped behind his back. "We're not
laughing any more, are we, Malone?" he said without moving.

There was silence.

"Well, are we?"

"Did you want me to answer, sir?"

"Of course I did!" Burris snapped.

"You told me to keep quiet and--"

"Never mind what I told you," Burris said. "Just do what I told you."

"Yes, sir," Malone said. "No, sir," he added after a second.

"No, sir, what?" Burris asked softly.

"No, sir, we're not laughing any more," Malone said.

"Ah," Burris said. "And why aren't we laughing any more?"

There was a little pause. Malone said, tentatively: "Because there's
nothing to laugh about, sir?"

Burris whirled. "On the head!" he said happily. "You've hit the nail on
the head, Kenneth. I knew I could depend on you." His voice grew serious
again, and thoughtful. "We're not laughing any more because there's
nothing to laugh about. We have orbital satellites, and we've landed on
the Moon with an atomic rocket. The planets are the next step, and after
that the stars. Man's heritage, Kenneth. The stars. And the stars,
Kenneth, belong to Man--not to the Soviets!"

"Yes, sir," Malone said soberly.

"So," Burris said, "we should learn not to laugh any more. But have we?"

"I don't know, sir."

"We haven't," Burris said with decision. "Can you read my mind?"

"No, sir," Malone said.

"Can I read your mind?"

Malone hesitated. At last he said: "Not that I know of, sir."

"Well, I can't," Burris snapped. "And can any of us read each other's
mind?"

Malone shook his head. "No, sir," he said.

Burris nodded. "That's the problem," he said. "That's the case I'm
sending you out to crack."

This time, the silence was a long one.

At last, Malone said: "What problem, sir?"

"Mind readin