ry much better, Pete."

I was glad it was dark beyond the range of the lamp. My face was red.
"Thank you, Mr. President."

"I like it better, Pete, because from this day on, Pete, you and I and
all of us know that you, and you alone, are going to have a mighty
hard row to hoe." That's right; he was a farmer once. "Hard in this
respect--you understand, I know, that for the rest of your natural
life you must and shall be guarded with all the alert fervor that
national security demands. Does that sound too much like a jail
sentence?"

It did, but I lied. I said, "Not exactly, Mr. President. Whatever you
say is all right with me."

He smiled. "Thank you, Pete.... Guarded as well and as closely as--the
question is, where?"

* * * * *

I didn't know I'd had a choice. The Old Man had talked to me before on
that.

"Not exactly, Pete. This is what I mean: General Buckley and General
Hayes feel that you will be safest on the mainland somewhere in the
Continental United States. Admirals Lacey and Jessop, on the other
hand, feel that the everpresent risk of espionage can be controlled
only by isolation, perhaps on some island where the personnel can be
exclusively either military or naval."

I grinned inwardly. I knew this was going to happen.

"Mr. Hoover concedes that both possible places have inherent
advantages and disadvantages," the President went on. "He feels,
however, that protection should be provided by a staff specially
trained in law-enforcement and counter-espionage."

So where did that leave me? I didn't say it quite that way, but I put
across the idea.

The President frowned a bit at nothing. "I'm informed you haven't been
too ... comfortable."

I gulped. Might as well be hung for a sheep. If the Boss likes you,
the Help must. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, but it isn't much fun being
shifted around pillar and post."

He nodded slowly. "Quite understandable, under the circumstances.
That, we'll try to eliminate as much as we can. You can see, Pete,"
and he flashed that famous wide grin, "it will be in the national
interest to see that you are always in the finest physical and mental
condition. Crudely expressed, perhaps, but the truth, nevertheless."

I like people to tell me the truth. He could see that. He's like that,
himself. On his job, you have to be like that.

"Now, Pete; let's get down to cases. Have you any ideas, any
preferences, any suggestions?" He took a