"Well, then, as I say," said Keech, "the little people have decided to
leave the planet in a spaceship. Which we're buildin' here and now.
We've spied upon you and learned how to do it. Well--almost how to do
it. We haven't learned yet how to control the power--"

"Hold on, now," I said. "Leaving the planet, you say. And where would
you be going?"

"There's another committee working on that. 'Tis not our concern. I was
inclined to suggest the constellation Orion, which sounds as though it
has a good Irish name, but I was hooted down. Be that as it may, my own
job was to go into your nuclear center, learn how to make the ship, and
proceed with its construction. Naturally, we didn't understand all of
your high-flyin' science, but some of our people are pretty clever at
gettin' up replicas of things."

"You mean you've been spying on us at the center all this time? Do you
know, we often had the feeling we were being watched, but we thought it
was by the Russians. There's one thing which puzzles me, though. If
you've been constantly around us--and I'm still able to see the little
people--why did I never see you before?"

"It may be we never crossed your path. It may be you can only see us
when you're thinkin' of us, and of course truly believin' in us. I don't
know--'tis a thing of the mind, and not important at the moment. What's
important is for us to get our first ship to workin' properly and then
we'll be on our way."

"You're determined to go."

"Truly we are, Mr. Houlihan. Now--to business. Just during these last
few minutes a certain matter has crossed my mind. That's why I'm wastin'
all this time with you, sir. You say you are a scientist."

"A nuclear engineer."

"Well, then, it may be that you can help us--now that you know we're
here."

"Help you?"

"The power control, Mr. Houlihan. As I understand it, 'tis necessary to
know at any instant exactly how much thrust is bein' delivered through
the little holes in back. And on paper it looks simple enough--the
square of somethin' or other. I've got the figures jotted in a book when
I need 'em. But when you get to doin' it it doesn't come out exactly as
it does on paper."

"You're referring to the necessity for a coefficient of discharge."

"Whatever it might be named," said Keech, shrugging. "'Tis the one thing
we lack. I suppose eventually you people will be gettin' around to it.
But meanwhile we need it right now, if we're to make our ship move."