Webster heard the Admiral and the Second talking behind him. "I didn't see a thing. Did you?" "No, sir." "How about you, Webster?" "No, sir," said Webster, turning around. "But they're getting something across. There's got to be something there." "Yes, but even our spectroscopes didn't show anything. I don't know. This beats me." He shook his head. "Radio Earth and tell them about it." Webster did so. He handed Earth's answer to Admiral Cantwell. He grunted when he read it. "Return to Earth, huh. This has been some mission. Well, we've got to obey it. Take her home." Webster gave a last try for the answer. His mighty body was rigid with the tension he was under. But it wouldn't come. He was beaten. He gave a big sigh and sat back and relaxed as the _Sirius_ swung around toward Earth. Then it hit him. He had it. He leaped up with a yell that shook the panelboards. The Admiral and Second jumped a foot in the air looking wildly around. "I know how to get through," shouted Webster. "Admiral," he calmed down a little, "Let me have the other gig. I'll take it down. I can get through. I know...." He broke off and headed for the door. "Come back here," roared the Admiral. "Dammit, man, you scared ten years off me. Settle down now. Tell me what's this all about?" Everybody calmed down. * * * * * "I think I know how they do it," said Webster. "If you'll let me take the gig I can soon find out without risking the _Sirius_." "You're crazy," broke in the Second. "Try it with a remote-controlled gig. It'll only take a few hours to rig it. There's no sense in your going." Webster ignored him. "May I try it, sir?" The Admiral was silent, looking at the towering figure of Webster. He spoke softly, half to himself: "It's a helluva world when a man can't risk his own neck trying out some fool idea." Then louder. "No. I can't let you. Tell us about it first so I can see if it's any good." Webster shook his head. "I'll tell you about it over the radio, sir. Then you can follow me in the _Sirius_. That is--if I'm right. If I'm not, it won't matter." "In that case, forget it," said the Admiral. "I'm not going to have you torn to shreds." Webster started to protest, but the Admiral cut him off. "No. That's final." Webster strode out mad enough to spit. He pulled up in front of a bulkhead, raised a mighty fist--and stopped. He didn't even give a second thought to the idea that crashed into his mind. He lit out down the passageway. Ten minutes later the second gig took off, with Third Webster at the controls. In the first few seconds Webster had a horrible thought. Suppose the Uranians now had enough data. Suppose their experiments were over and he just flew in, and they didn't even try to knock him down. He switched on the visi-scope and radio. No. The Uranian ship was turning around and coming to meet him. Good. He reached for the throttle and cut off his rockets. The Admiral's voice came over the radio: