"Oh, Dr. Seaman!" Sylvia cut in, breaking her careful silence. "What a
thrilling opportunity for you!"
I gaped at her. Well, Cleary had said it. She only went out with
astronauts. She was space-happy.
"There are men in the shop who deserve the chance...." I started.
"Nonsense!" she said quickly. "It's your idea, doctor, and you deserve
the fame!"
"And the promotion this will undoubtedly earn--if you can bring it
off," Cleary added.
"Yes!" Dr. Stone said with relish. He didn't think I could, either.
Well, that made three of us, unless Sylvia made four.
"Thank you very much," I started, as a prelude to backing out.
"Good, that's settled," Cleary said. "That's all, Sylvia."
She got up and left. She had done her dirty work. If I hadn't been so
sick at my stomach, I would have had to admire really great teamwork.
Stone shook my hand with an evil kind of relish and followed her out.
That left Paul Cleary and me alone. "This is a great thing, young
man," he said.