Robb explained. "It seems _their_ equipment has been haywire for two days, they haven't been able to get through." "How do you like that!" cracked Farnsworth, the astrogator. "We're two hundred and forty thousand miles off the Earth and our equipment works fine. They have all the comforts of Earth down at headquarters and they can't repair radio transmission for two days!" The men laughed. "Gentlemen," Robb continued, "every radio and TV network in the country was hooked up to the chief's office in Washington. I not only talked to General Lovett, I spoke to the whole damn country." The men could not contain their excitement. The captain received a verbal pelting of stored-up questions. "Did you get word to my family, Captain?" asked Kingsley. "I hope you told them we're physically sound, Captain," said Farnsworth. "I have a fiancee that'll never forgive me if anything happens to me--" "What's the reaction like around the country--" "Have the Russians had anything to say yet--" "Ha! I'll bet they're sore as hell--" "Do you think the army would mind if I hand in my resignation?" Kingsley's remark brought vigorous applause from the others. Captain Robb held up his hand for silence. "Hold on! Hold on! First of all, General Lovett has personally contacted relatives and told them we're all physically and mentally sound. Secondly, you'd better get set to receive the biggest damn welcome in history. The general says half the nation has invaded Florida for the occasion." "Tell them we're not coming back," snapped Kingsley, "until the Florida Tourist Bureau gives us a cut." "Kingsley, the President has declared a national holiday. We'll all be able to write our own ticket." "Yes," Anderson put in, "to hell with the Florida Tourist Bureau!" Captain Robb said, "We'll be so sick of parades we'll wish we'd stayed in this God forsaken place." "Not me," boasted Farnsworth. "I'm ready for a parade in my honor any old time. The sooner the better." "Oh, and about the Russians," said Captain Robb, smiling. "There's been nothing but a steady stream of 'no comment' out of the Kremlin since we landed here." "Right now," said Hamston, "it's probably high noon for every scientist behind the iron curtain." "I wonder how they plan to talk their way out of this one?" asked Farnsworth. "Gentlemen, I'd like to go on talking about the welcome we're going to receive, but I think we'd better take first things first. Before there can be a welcome we have to get back. And we still have work to do before we start." "What about souvenirs, Captain?" asked Farnsworth. Robb pursed his lips thoughtfully, "Yes, I guess there is a matter of souvenirs, isn't there." The others detected a note of disturbance in the way the captain spoke. Kingsley asked, "Is anything wrong, Captain?"