scope now. With a big corporation behind it, Lord
only knew what it would do to the communications setup.

But the big thing was this counter-grav business! _There_ was where you
got into the big leagues. If Harold could do this with it, think what
General Motors could do! Orville could see TWA, B&O and steamship
companies bidding against each other for it. And car manufacturers and
freight handlers--and tugboat owners--and taxi fleets-and the armed
forces--

Harold was waking up. He rubbed his skimpy whiskers, put on his broken
glasses, creaked over to the scope and turned it on. Harold, old boy,
Orville thought tenderly, you don't know it yet, but your troubles are
all over!

"What do you see, Harold?"

"The Earth."

Orville went over. There was a dark green spot on the scope, bright
against deep black. "You sure?"

"Almost positive. That's the only thing that size there is right around
here."

"Well, fine! That calls for a celebration, doesn't it?"

"Oh, yes. Forgot that. We can open the tuna."

IV

"It's about time," Orville said, "that we started figuring out a plan."
He scraped the bottom of the can. The tuna tasted fine. He took a swig
of pineapple juice and passed the can back to Harold.

"Yeah, I been thinking about that," said Harold.

"I've had more experience in that line than you, so maybe--"

"Do you think mankind is ready for my secret?"

"There, you see?" Orville laughed heartily. "Now don't you worry about
such things."

"But look what they did with the atomic bomb. And if this ever got
loose--"

"Harold!" Orville's laugh was less hearty. "Do you think you could keep
this a secret? The minute we land, they'll be all over us. The
government can impound this ship, you know."

"Won't do them any good. They can tear it all apart and never find out a
thing."

Hours later, they were still arguing.

"If the government had it, they'd build a war machine and then the
Russians would steal it--"

"Harold! That's Communist talk!"

"Shoot! I'm no Communist!"

"You're playing right into their hands...."

It went on and on. Then: "Harold--as your neighbor--won't you tell _me_
what it is?"

"I'll try...."

Orville sat up, tingling. You take gravity, Harold said. What do we know
about it? Was it like a lot of rubber bands, stretching back and forth
between everything, or was it a flow, like water? Now if it was a flow,
it would have to flow back some way, or else you'd run out, wou