one
person doesn't have to give it. Suppose twelve people gave half a pint
each. Suppose twenty-four people gave a quarter of a pint each.
Suppose--"

"There is," O'Connor said, "a point of diminishing returns. But I do
see your point, Mr. Malone." He thought for a second. "It might just
be possible," he said. "At least theoretically. But it would take a
great deal of mental co-ordination among the participants. They would
have to be telepathic themselves, for one thing."

"Why?" Malone said, feeling stupid.

"Because they would have to mesh their thoughts closely enough to
direct them properly and at the correct time." O'Connor nodded. "But,
given that, I imagine that it could be done."

"Wonderful," Malone said.

"However," O'Connor said, apparently glad to throw even a little cold
water on the notion, "it could not be done for very long periods of
time, you realize."

"Sure," Malone said happily.

"By the way, Mr. Malone," O'Connor said. "Does this have anything to
do with the hypothesis you presented to me some time ago? Mass
hypnotism, as I recall--"

"No," Malone said. "I've given that idea up for good. I think this is
being done on an individual basis--working on one person at a time."
Then another idea hit him. "You say these people would have to be
telepaths?"

"That's right," O'Connor said.

"Then wouldn't Her Majesty know about them? If they're telepaths? Or
is there some kind of a mind shield or something that a telepath could
work out?"

"Mind shield?" O'Connor said. "Ah, yes. Miss Thompson might be fooled
by such a shield. It would have to be an exceptional one, but such
things do seem to be possible. They belong to the realm of mental
disciplines, of course, rather than psionics."

"Sure," Malone said. "But there could be that kind of shield?"

"There could," O'Connor said. "The mind which created the shield for
itself would have to be of tremendous power and a really high order of
control. A strong, sane mind might conceivably create such a block
that even Miss Thompson, let us say, might believe that she was
picking up a real mind, when she was only picking up surface thoughts,
with the real thought hidden behind the telepathic block."

"Fine," Malone said. "Thanks. Thanks a lot, Dr. O'Connor."

"I am always happy to put my extensive knowledge of science at your
disposal, Mr. Malone," O'Connor said.

Malone watched the image collapse without really seeing it. Instead,
he was busi