“It will be a long time, I imagine, before either Mr. Ross or I will hear better news,” Eddie’s father said. “In order not to delay nuclear research, nor to hold up production at Acme Aircraft,” the FBI man said, “we’re sending the tubes with you under armed guard to your laboratory, and you can take over from there.” “With great pleasure,” Teena’s father said. “And I believe, gentlemen,” Mr. Evans went on, “that’s probably your main interest at the moment. The rest of it you will doubtless read about in your newspapers within a day or two. I imagine the lights and commotion out around the bay a while ago attracted plenty of attention. Even with the naked eye, it would be simple to identify a submarine lying on the surface. Newsmen are crowding the gates outside right now. They’ll get their story as soon as we’ve filled in a few gaps and get a release from Washington. All I ask is that you do no talking about it until it has been cleared for the press. All right?” “Of course,” Mr. Taylor said. “We won’t say a word,” Eddie promised fervently. “No, sir,” Teena backed him up. “Well, then,” Mr. Ross said, rising, “I guess you won’t need us any more.” “We’ll call you if there’s anything else,” Mr. Evans said by way of dismissing them. “Before you go, though, I do want to thank you all for your fine co-operation. Particularly you two young people.” He smiled again at Teena and Eddie. “This may sound awfully big—and it is—but you’ve both done a great service for your country. As long as we have alert young Americans like you two, this country’s future is in good hands.” A burst of applause went up. It seemed a strange place for it, there in the briefing room. Eddie found it almost impossible to conceal the pride that puffed up inside of him. Teena was grinning, too, as they got up to follow their fathers outside. Both of them took a last look around the room. They saw the group of sullen men in strange uniforms. They saw the tall man and the fat man, whose clumsy efforts at being fishermen had first aroused their suspicions. They saw the pleased looks on the faces of the FBI agent, the Coast Guardsmen, and the others in the “friendly” side of the room. They saw their fathers walking toward the door, carefully carrying the all-important metal tubes. Neither Teena nor Eddie could find anything to say. Then they were outside. The stars blinked overhead. Every few seconds the circling beacon from the distant lighthouse swept its white finger across the sky. The cool breeze from the nearby ocean gave added zest to their high spirits. “Isn’t it wonderful how everything worked out, Eddie?” Teena said finally. “And to think that we were some help.” “Yep,” Eddie said. “It all worked out great, didn’t it? Really great.” Walking proudly, they followed their fathers toward the parking lot. Transcriber’s Notes --Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.