ob that must have taxed both Ruiz and Logan, but Mac
held his silence. "And that was about the size of it. _Valier's_ parked
outside with some of the boys, good as ever. Come on, we'll sop up some
coffee."

Mac swung himself up to a sitting position and realized dizzily that he
was mother-naked. His ribs felt pulverized. "You guys sure mauled me
up," he said accusingly.

"Unavoidable, my dear grease-monkey. You needed a little artificial
respiration; I never was too good at that."

"Well, whoever did the job rates a prize of some sort," Mac answered,
"but my ribs tell me he had more enthusiasm than practice."

Logan smiled his old familiar smile, relieved to find his engineer in
joking spirits. "The credit again goes to Johnny. But," he added, "try
not to be too hard on him. Try giving artificial respiration to a big
lump like yourself sometime, without any gravity."

Mac digested this tidbit as he pulled on a fresh pair of coveralls.
"O.K.," he said, standing on the foamex "floor." "How did he do it?"

"Strapped you into your couch face down and locked his legs around it. I
didn't dare apply any g's. Come on," he finished, "you've managed to
upset every timetable in the project. Johnny's shaking like a leaf, or
was when I left him. A bulb of coffee will do us both a world of good."

"I'm sold," Mac grunted, zipping up a flight boot. "But there's
something I'd like to do, first chance I get."

"Which is?"

"Which is jettison every last strip of tape I have in _Valier_. I tell
you, Logan," he went on as they entered the recreation bar, "you'll
never know how degrading it is to hear useless, insipid information
offered to you when you're in a tight spot, knowing full well the voice
is your own!"

THE END

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