The rocket was large
enough to be seen from any point in the field. Even if some part of the
mechanism had caused it to rise again during the night, Elvin would have
found the gaping hole the point of the projectile had torn in the earth.
But there was nothing. Not a furrow in the ploughed field was disturbed.

Visibly amused, Matt Henderson departed, repeating his formula about
brands of liquor. This time, Elvin thought, the reporter actually
believed it. Elvin walked back to the ranch. He was very angry; but,
more than that, he was coldly afraid--and he had no idea what he was
afraid of.

The Schermerhorn twins stopped him as he crossed the driveway.

"You sure made us bite on that one, Mr. Elvin," Donald said good
naturedly.

"Yeah," David added. "All the kids came over early this morning to see
your rocket."

"I guest we deserve it, though," Donald went on philosophically, "for
pulling that deal on you in class last week."

* * * * *

Gary Elvin went up to his room in a daze and sat staring at the bottle
of colored spheres. It seemed entirely clear what had happened last
night; yet, conceivably, the rocket could have been an hallucination. If
so, it was because of the grinding frustrations of his job. But Elvin
had a good mind; he did not have to let a bunch of discourteous
rattle-brained kids get him down. David and Donald had given him the
clue: the rocket was simply a practical joke he had played on his class
of tenth graders.

The second step in driving out the "dream" was an appeal to authority.
He must understand the limits of scientific possibility in the use of
rockets. That meant a trip to the library. Although it was four miles to
San Benedicto, Elvin decided to walk; the exercise would help clear his
head.

He entered the library at eleven-thirty, half an hour before the
building was closed for the weekend. It was a good library. The
assessment rate in prosperous San Benedicto was high, and books had been
purchased wisely. In the card catalogue Elvin found listed a number of
up-to-date references that he could use; but there was nothing on the
shelves. Five minutes before closing time, he asked the librarian for
help.

"I don't suppose there's anything in," she answered. "We've had a
perfect run on books all morning."

"You mean everything in the library is out?"

"Everything worthwhile." She beamed. "And most of the borrowers were
your tenth graders, too, M