about an external
force--but you can't trust anything about the ship. Do the trick that
makes you happy. But do only one. You can't have both."

Johnny began to laugh.

Ives went to him. "Hey, boy--"

Johnny rolled over, swung his feet down, and sat up, brushing the fat
man aside. "What you guys need," Johnny chuckled, "is a nice kind
policeman to feed you candy and take you home. You're real lost."

Ives said, "Johnny, take it easy and be quiet, huh? We'll figure a way
out of this."

"I already have, scrawny," said Johnny offensively. He got up, strode to
the port. "What a bunch of deadheads," he growled. He went two steps
past the port and grasped the control-wheel which was mounted on the
other side of the port from the button.

"Oh my God," breathed Anderson delightedly, "the manual! Anybody else
want to be Captain?"

"Factor of safety," said Hoskins, smiting himself on the brow. "There's
a manual control for everything on this scow that there can be. And we
stand here staring at it--"

"If we don't win the furlined teacup...." Ives laughed.

Johnny hauled on the wheel.

It wouldn't budge.

"Here--" Ives began to approach.

"Get away," said Johnny. He put his hands close together on the rim of
the wheel, settled his big shoulders, and hauled. With a sharp crack the
wheel broke off in his hands.

Johnny staggered, then stood. He looked at the wheel and then up at the
broken end of its shaft, gleaming deep below the surface of the
bulkhead.

"Oh, fine...." Ives whispered.

Suddenly Johnny threw back his head and loosened a burst of high,
hysterical laughter. It echoed back and forth between the metal walls
like a torrent from a burst dam. It went on and on, as if now that the
dam was gone, the flood would run forever.

Anderson called out "Johnny!" three times, but the note of command had
no effect. Paresi walked to the pilot and with the immemorial practice
slapped him sharply across the cheeks. "Johnny! Stop it!"

The laughter broke off as suddenly as it had begun. Johnny's chest
heaved, drawing in breath with great, rasping near-sobs. Slowly they
died away. He extended the wheel toward the Captain.

"It broke off," he said, finally, dully, without emphasis.

Then he leaned back against the hull, slowly slid down until he was
sitting on the deck. "Broke right off," he said.

Ives twined his fat fingers together and bent them until the knuckles
cracked. "Now what?"

"I suggest," said Pa