It was all wrong, but it was interesting. It pointed the way to madness--and unless it could be rationalized, the pathway to madness would be a one-way street. Thomas knew at that point that his feet were on that path. He could never retreat until he carried back with him an answer--and from the data presented, his answer must be right. The engineer, he knew, had done it deliberately. As a means of frustration it was more than air-tight. It was perfect. Show a physicist something that floats between two plates, and he'll go crazy until he knows why. And the engineer had shown the physicist any number of things that floated--sped, indeed--through the air between heaven and earth, like Mohammed's coffin. Without the benefit of mirrors. Well, Thomas Lionel, are you licked? He found a letter that removed all doubt as to the reason. He opened it and read: Dear Archimedes: Since you so gallantly presented me with this aggregation of things to measure the last three decimal places of everything, I have decided to put it to work. I have had some fun, thanks to you, in measuring things that I believe have never been set to music before. I have spent some time collecting and presenting data. This data I do not pretend to understand. I don't intend to try. I am merely an impartial observer. To harness this power would be a boon to civilization. I can see a small truck full of equipment bearing the sign: POLTERGEIST MOVING COMPANY if you can only unravel the information contained in my data. You, as a physicist, surely must be able to explain the manifestation in terms that satisfy all and sundry. Once you decide what makes, I'll be interested. Until that date I am stumped, admit it, and happy that I am able to hand the problem to one who by all the evidence, has the personality and character that will not permit these pages of painstaking data to molder in the dust. Please--old fellow, tell me what's with a poltergeist. And don't refer vaguely to space warps or fourth dimensional animals. That's strictly for _Corny Stories or Vulturesome Tales_. Interestedly, Tom Lionel, Consulting Engineer. P.S. That junk you bought made it possible to make these measurements. Surely the same stuff should enable you to figure out the answer. You and your monomolecular films. You and your monomolecular films, Thomas snorted. * * * * *