e and dump it at either end.
But the Space Platform would never land. It could roll on forever. And
if it heaved out its refuse from airlocks--why--the stuff would still
have the Platform's orbital speed and would follow it tirelessly around
the Earth until the end of time.

"We dry and store it now," said Brent. "If we were going to live, we'd
figure out some way to turn it to fertilizer for the hydroponic gardens.
It's hardly worth while as things are. Even then, though, the problem of
tin cans could be hopeless."

The Chief wiped his mouth deliberately. He had helped load four
guided-missile launching tubes, and he had been brought up to date on
the state of things in the Platform. He growled in a preliminary fashion
and said, "Joe."

Joe looked at him.

"We brought up six two-ton guided missiles," said the Chief dourly.
"We'll have warning of other bombs coming up. We can send these missiles
out to intercept 'em. Six of 'em. They can get close enough to set off
their proximity fuses, anyhow. But what are we going to do, Joe, if
somebody flings seven bombs at us? We can manage six--maybe. But what'll
we do with the one that's left over?"

"Have you any ideas?" asked Joe.

The Chief shook his head. Brent said mildly. "We've worked on that here
in the Platform, I assure you. And as Sanford puts it quite soundly,
about the only thing we can really do is throw our empty tin cans at
them."

Joe nodded. Then he tensed. Brent had meant it as a rather mirthless
joke. But Joe was astonished at what his own brain made of it. He
thought it over. Then he said, "Why not? It ought to be a very good
trick."

Brent stared at him incredulously. Haney looked solemnly at him. The
Chief regarded Joe thoughtfully out of the corner of his eye. Then Mike
shouted gleefully. The Chief blinked, and a moment later grunted
wrathful unintelligible syllables of Mohawk, and then tried to pound Joe
on the back and because of his want of weight went head over heels into
the air between the six walls of the kitchen.

Haney said disgustedly, "Joe, there are times when a guy wants to murder
you! Why didn't I think of that?"

But Brent was looking at the four of them with a lively, helpless
curiosity. "Will you guys let me in on this?"

They told him. Joe began to explain it carefully, but the Chief broke in
with a barked and impatient description, and then Mike interrupted to
snap a correction. But by that time Brent's expression had cha