The trucks wheeled across the sand, just like the thousands of trucks Cal had seen back on Earth. The television cameras pointed down at them, and the men stood behind them with earphones on. "Smile. Smile," the mayor whispered. Cal smiled. Dave smiled, too. "Ladies and gentlemen," Mayor Panley said to the cameras, "It is the distinct honor of New Calleth...." The crowd raised their voices, drowning out his voice. The banners waved, yellow, red, blue, orange. Welcome, welcome, welcome. "... the distinct honor of New Calleth to be able to welcome home Bobby Galus and Gary Dale." "Galus! Dale!" the voices sang, "Galus! Dale!" "Galus!" "Dale!" "Just a second," Cal interrupted. "You don't understand at all. Those aren't our...." "Four years in space," the mayor continued, "four years among the stars. To Earth and back, fellow citizens, for the glory of Mars." "You've got that twisted," Cal said. "We didn't...." The mayor took Cal's elbow and turned him toward the cameras. "You were in space for four years, weren't you Captain Galus?" "Yes, we were. But it wasn't...." "Space!" the mayor gushed. "Limitless space. The first men to land on Earth." Again the cries of the crowd split the night. "Across the stretches of sky," the mayor continued. "Across the unchartered wilderness above, across the...." * * * * * There were banquets and more banquets, and women of every size and shape. The city of New Calleth went all out to welcome the space travellers. Bobby Galus and Gary Dale. At the end of a week of festivity, the mayor came to Cal and Dave. "Have you enjoyed your stay, boys?" he asked. "It was swell," Cal said, "but you've got things all...." "I was wondering when you planned on leaving for the capitol. Don't misunderstand me. We'd like you to stay as long as you want to, but...." "For God's sake," Cal snapped, "will you please listen to me?" Mayor Panley was visibly shaken. "Why, of course, Captain Galus. Of course. Why, certainly." He lapsed into silence. "I'm not Bobby Galus," Cal said. "And this isn't Gary Dale." The mayor nodded his head. "You're ... not ... Galus and Dale," he said slowly. "That's right," Cal said. "We didn't go to Earth. We came from there. This is the first time we've ever been on Mars. Do you understand? We're Earthmen." "Earthmen?" The mayor considered this for a second and then burst out laughing. "Why, that's preposterous. Absolutely preposterous!" His laugh rose in volume to a bellow. "Oh, you're joking. I should have known. You're only joking." "We're not joking. This is all some kind of a horrible mistake. We're the first men to land on Mars. You've got to understand that," Dave pleaded.