"Just what I was thinking," Cleary said. "The problem resolves into: Who do we send? Now Mike, here, says we should take a man from his lab who knows the bird and its assembly and teach him how to get around in a spacesuit--that, he claims, would be quicker than taking one of these space jockeys and making a technician out of him." "I think he's right." "So--there we are. Who do we send?" "There can hardly be any choice," Dr. Stone said, looking at me with eyes like granite. "Hardly," Cleary agreed. "The head of the lab is the best man, beyond a doubt." They were talking about me! Try to get out of taking sides, would I? Cleary wanted me back in the middle. Stone wanted me dead. They were both likely to get their way, unless I told them off. I opened my mouth. Cleary cleared his throat loudly. "Oh, Dr. Seaman!" Sylvia cut in, breaking her careful silence. "What a thrilling opportunity for you!" I gaped at her. Well, Cleary had said it. She only went out with astronauts. She was space-happy. "There are men in the shop who deserve the chance...." I started. "Nonsense!" she said quickly. "It's your idea, doctor, and you deserve the fame!" "And the promotion this will undoubtedly earn--if you can bring it off," Cleary added. "Yes!" Dr. Stone said with relish. He didn't think I could, either. Well, that made three of us, unless Sylvia made four. "Thank you very much," I started, as a prelude to backing out. "Good, that's settled," Cleary said. "That's all, Sylvia." She got up and left. She had done her dirty work. If I hadn't been so sick at my stomach, I would have had to admire really great teamwork. Stone shook my hand with an evil kind of relish and followed her out. That left Paul Cleary and me alone. "This is a great thing, young man," he said. I couldn't stand him any longer. "You are a worm!" I told him. "You're probably right, Mike," he agreed, without any particular heat. "But a rather just one. I think you'll admit you've been paid off in your own coin. All you had to do was beg off." "In front of her? You knew I wouldn't." "I _figured_ you wouldn't. That's one of the advantages of being older. You know more about how the young will behave. Come on," he said, getting up to put on his coat again. "We have to see a man." "One thing," I said, as I got up, "while we're being so just." "Yes?" "I had thought of asking your Sylvia for a date. But she was so snippy the other night I decided to forget it. Now, she got me into this, and she'll have to pay and pay! How do I get to her? It'll be quite a while before I'm an astronaut." He took his pipe from between his teeth. "This calls for the wisdom of a Solomon," he decided. "But you might try oysters." * * * * *