fter
receiving the announcement of NBSD's grant for the coming year. He
consulted with his Board of Regents and then took a night plane down to
Washington to see Baker.

He was coldly formal as he entered Baker's office. Baker shook his hand
warmly and invited him to sit down.

"I was hoping you'd drop in again when you came to town," said Baker. "I
was sorry we had to ask you for so much new information, but I
appreciate your prompt response."

Wily's eyes were frosty. "Is that why you gave us only two hundred
thousand?" he asked.

Baker spread his hands. "I explained when you were here last that we
were getting a flood of applications. We have been forced to distribute
the money much more broadly than in other years. There is only so much
to go around, you know."

"There is just as much as you've ever had," snapped Wily. "I've checked
on your overall appropriation. And there is no increase in qualified
applicants. There is a decrease, if anything.

"I've done a little checking on the grants you've made, Baker. I'd like
to see you defend your appropriation for that miserable little school
called Clearwater College. I made a detailed study of their staff. They
haven't a single qualified man. Not one with a background any better
than that of your elevator operator!"

Baker looked up at the ceiling. "I remember an elevator man who became
quite a first rate scientist."

Wily glared, waiting for explanation, then snorted. "Oh, _him_--"

"Yes, _him_," said Baker.

"That doesn't explain your wasting of Government funds on such an
institution as Clearwater. It doesn't explain your grants to--"

"Let me show you what does explain my grants," said Baker. "I have what
I call the Index--with a capital I, you know--"

"I don't care anything about your explanations or your Index!" Wily
exclaimed. "I'm here to serve notice that I represent the nation's
interest as well as that of Great Eastern. And I am not going to stand
by silently while you mismanage these sacred funds the way you have
chosen to do in recent months. I don't know what's happened to you,
Baker. You were never guilty of such mistakes before. But unless you can
assure me that the full normal grant can be restored to Great Eastern,
I'm going to see that your office is turned inside out by the Senate
Committee on Scientific Development, and that you, personally, are
thrown out."

Wily glared and breathed heavily after his speech. He sat waiting for
Bak