bay to Annapolis. There was a gas station and lunch stand at
the intersection. Rick pulled in and drifted up to the gas pump. "Fill
it up, please. Any bottles of Coke around?"

"In the machine." The attendant pointed to the red automatic vendor.

The boys equipped themselves with Cokes and walked back to watch the
attendant fill the tank. "We must be somewhere near where all those
flying saucers were sighted," Rick remarked.

The attendant looked up. "Farther south. Never heard of anyone this far
north seein' one. They see plenty down toward Cambridge. Ask me, they're
seein' spots in front of their eyes."

The boys exchanged glances. When the car was ready, Rick turned and
started south again. "See any stores on the way where we could ask
again?"

"There's a restaurant. I saw two grocery stores, too, but from the way
the attendant talked, we'll have to get closer to Cambridge." Scotty was
making a note in their notebook.

Five miles back toward home, Rick stopped at another gas station and
asked the attendant to look at the oil. None was needed, so the boys
bought another pair of Cokes and engaged the man in conversation.

"Ever see any flying saucers in this area?" Rick asked.

"Nope. My brother did though, late one afternoon when he was on duty."

Scotty took out the notebook. "We're trying to get some information
about them for a story we're writing. Do you remember when it was?"

"Let's see. I was workin' in the evenin' that day, so it must have been
a Saturday. Last month, it was. Oh, I recall it now. Next day I took the
kids to my mother's. It was her birthday. That would make it the tenth."

"Where was your brother when he saw it?" Rick queried.

"Pumpin' gas. Right here. He said it sort of came up over the trees,
glittering like fire." The attendant pointed to a patch of trees down
the road. The direction was almost directly southwest.

Scotty scribbled in the notebook. "Any other details you remember? What
time in the afternoon was it?"

"Between four and five. Can't say exactly. He was still buzzin' when I
came on duty at six. Wanted to call the newspapers, but I talked him out
of it. People would think he was a fool."

"Did you?" Rick asked quietly.

"Nope. I know Chick. He's got a straight head on him. It may not have
been a flyin' saucer, but you can bet it wasn't anythin' common, or
anythin' he'd seen before."

"Score one," Scotty said triumphantly as they drove off.

"One flying sauce