it's better to be safe," said Tommie's mother.

"Well—"

Tommie had never seen dad squirm before, but certainly he was squirming now—mentally, that is. Tommie felt sorry for him, but he went ahead making a solar system in the sand, because he wanted to hear more. He felt sure he could help dad if he could find out more about it.

"The worst of it is," his dad went on, "if our competitor should get hold of a tube like this, it might even put us out of business."

His mother sighed. "It's a problem," she remarked sadly.

"It sure as h—it sure is. It all adds up to this: I have nothing against him, although he's not very solid from a standpoint of background. It could be the real thing. Clarence Fisher's was. Maybe I'm just too conservative—too scared."

"You've checked his blueprints?"

"Yes, and I can't find anything wrong. It looks sound. That's the worst of it."

"When do you have to let him know?"

"He's coming here at eight o'clock tonight."

Tommie's mother got up from the grass. "Do what you think best, Howard." She went inside.

Little Tommie was glad the man was coming at eight o'clock, so he could be in on it. He didn't have to go to bed until eight-thirty, and maybe if they got interested he could get by until nine o'clock, by keeping quiet.

He got up and went to his dad's chair, but dad didn't notice him. Dad got up and followed his mother into the house. Tommie went back to gather up his toys. It would soon be time for the sun to go down, anyway.

He got the sun-energy set in his arms, and then he had an idea. He went through the back and over to Bennie's. Bennie was four.

"Will you try my set and let me try yours?" asked Tommie.

Bennie looked down from his half a head of tallness. "I guess so."

They traded. Bennie started up the cycle in Tommie's set. When he was halfway through, Tommie sat down and started Bennie's set. But he watched as the four hydrogen nuclei of his own set went together and formed a glowing blue helium nucleus.

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