"That's what's the matter with people back on Earth," Cochrane said urgently. "There's no frustration as long as women can look ahead--far ahead, past here and now! When women can do that, they can keep men going. It's when there's nothing to plan for that men can't go on because women can't hope. You see? You saw a city here. A little city, with separate homes. On Earth, too many people can't think of more than living-quarters and keeping food enough for them--them only!--coming in. They can't hope for more. And it's when that happens--You see?" Babs did not answer. Cochrane fumbled. He said angrily: "Confound it, can't you see what I'm trying to say? We'd have been better off, as castaways, than back on Earth crowded and scared of our jobs! I'm saying I'd rather stay here with you than go back to the way I was living before we started off on this voyage! I think the two of us could make out under any circumstances! I don't want to try to make out without you! It isn't sense!" Then he scowled helplessly. "Dammit, I've staged plenty of shows in which a man asked a girl to marry him, and they were all phoney. It's different, now that _I_ mean it! What's a good way to ask you to marry me?" Babs looked momentarily up into his face. She smiled ever so faintly. "They're watching us from the ports," she said. "If you want my viewpoint--If we were to wave to them that we'll be right back, we can get some more of those fruits I cooked. It might be interesting to have some to show them." He scowled more deeply than before. "I'm sorry you feel that way. But if that's it--" "And on the way," said Babs. "When they're not watching, you might kiss me." They had a considerable pile of the red-fleshed fruits ready when the ground had cooled enough for them to reach the landing-sling. Once aboard the ship, Cochrane headed for the control-room, with Jamison and Bell tagging after him. Bell had an argument. "But the volcano's calmed down--there's only a wall of steam where the lava hit the glaciers--and we could fix up a story in a couple of hours! I've got background shots! You and Babs could make the story-scenes and we'd have a castaway story! Perfect! The first true castaway story from the stars--. You know what that would mean!" Cochrane snarled at him. "Try it and I'll tear you limb from limb! I've put enough of other people's private lives on the screen! My own stays off! I'm not going to have even a phoney screen-show built around Babs and me for people to gabble about!" Bell said in an injured tone: "I'm only trying to do a good job! I started off on this business as a writer. I haven't had a real chance to show what I can do with this sort of material!" "Forget it!" Cochrane snapped again. "Stick to your cameras!" Jamison said hopefully: "You'll give me some data on plants and animals, Mr. Cochrane? Won't you? I'm doing a book with Bell's pictures, and--" "Let me alone!" raged Cochrane.