SOLID SOLUTION By JAMES STAMERS Illustrated by GRAY [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Magazine April 1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] Brilliant? A genius? David Adam Smith had the brains of fifty men--very literally! Three students were expelled for bringing the bubble dancer into the Desert Institute, Lee White, Burns Gilbert and John Thay. The Director did not like any of them. He liked me, Morris. I was his stooge, his squirming straight man. I was useful for his jokes. "We know calculus is a method of measuring uncircular curves, such as beer barrels ... but I fear Morris has allowed that thought to absorb him, hig, hig, hig, hig." That was one of Professor David Adam Smith's favorites. Or: "If you will visit me this afternoon, Morris, I will give you personal tuition in astrophysics ... beginning with the more complicated parts of the alphabet, hig, hig, hig." But he owned the Desert Institute. He was the only living authority on geology, terrestrial or extraplanetary, and there was a waiting list of students.... On their last afternoon, I was sent with the disgraced three on a specimen-collecting tour of the desert. It was my routine job but a real disgrace to them. I often thought the only reason David Adam Smith allowed me to stay on as a student, apart from offering him a target for sneering at, was because of my muscles. I could handle the long specimen trailer and heave boulders about more easily than the others. "Do not sneer at Morris, gentlemen. Science tells us brain size is related to surface area. You should expect in Morris a potentially great brain therefore ... if Morris were not devoted to obstructing science, hig, hig, hig." The other three, Lee, Burns and John, were about six feet tall, slim, dark haired and handsome. But we were collecting specimens, not running for Miss Earth 2430. My extra seven inches in height extends more or less proportionately in my reach and thickness of shoulder. Anyway, they were depressed at being expelled, so I let them sit in the shade of the trailer while I set up the specimen plates and power unit, minima stand here, maxima stand there, controls on the sand beside them. "I don't expect you've done this elementary stuff for a couple of years," I said. "So ... don't walk on the plates and don't touch the dial or the red and blue buttons." "Hell, Morry, we know." "Okay, okay. Only it's more tricky than it looks." * * * * *