Forsyth, Executive Vice-President of Higgins Enterprises, Incorporated. Mr. Lewis, Vice-President of the Higgins Industrial Trust. Mr. Thomason, of Higgins and Thomason Investment Company. Gentlemen, this is the young man of whom I spoke. I would have had you here before this, but there was nothing much to see. And young Mr. Mansfield had nothing to say but a lot of high-sounding explanation that none of us could understand. However, he assures me that he is ready to demonstrate. This is true?"

Peter nodded. The collection of vice-presidents made him nervous. He would have preferred that the first demonstration took place before this rather public announcement. But he had been told rather firmly by Walter Higgins that these were the men who were helping him pour money into the matter transmitter, and so they had every right to see the first demonstration.

"I'll explain how this works," he said, hoping that his voice would gain strength as he went along. "In—"

"Don't bother," said Walter Higgins, waving the explanation aside with a gesture of his cigar. The long ash held firm during the airy wave. "None of us could follow it. Just show us how it works and maybe we can grasp the explanation later, if we care to study that sort of thing. I—"

He was interrupted by another arrival. Norma came in breathlessly and asked, "Am I late?"

"Late!" stormed Walter Higgins. "You weren't invited."

"I invited myself."

"You were told not to come."

Father and daughter eyed one another like a pair of gladiators about to gladiate. "I know," she said in a cheerful voice. "And it wouldn't be the first time I did something I was told not to do, either."

"Your mother—"

"Mother wouldn't paddle my bottom either," she said. "In fact, mother agreed with me that there was no reason why I shouldn't watch this demonstration."

Walter Higgins sat down glowering. He shoved the long cigar in his mouth and clamped down on it. He puffed vigorously and exhaled a cloud of smoke. Whatever anger he felt was being 

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