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.D.He said it was thefinest thing he had had from the Graduate School since he'd held the chair of Physics."Dull red came in the young man's face."Nothing much.I just happened to have an idea.Probably never get another in my life."Tony smiled."I understand you were stroke in the varsity crew two years ago.""That's right.""That's the year you were rowing everybody out of the water, isn't it?""There weren't any good crews that year.We just happened to have the least bad ones."Tony looked at the youth's hands, nervously clenching and unclenching.They were powerfulhands, which nevertheless seemed to possess the capacity for minute adjustments.Tony smiled."Noneed of being so modest, old fellow.It's just as I said.Cole Hendron in New York is getting together abunch of people for some work he wants done during the next few months.It's work of a very privatenature.I can't tell you what.I can't even assure you that he will accept you, but I'm touring around in theattempt to send him some likely people.You understand that I'm not offering you a job in the sense, thatjobs have been offered in the past.I don't know that any salary is attached to it at all.You will besupplied with a place to live, and provided with food, if you accept."The tall youth grinned."I suppose you know that offering a chance to associate with ColeHendron, to a man like me, is just like offering the job of secretary to St.Peter, to a bishop.""M-m-m.By the way, why did you stay here at the university when most of the graduate studentshave left?""No particular reason.I didn't have anything better to do.The university is on high ground, so itdidn't seem sensible to move for that reason, and I thought I might as well go on with my work.""I see," Tony replied.His companion hesitated to say what was obviously on his mind, but finally broke the shortsilence."Look here, Mr.--Mr.--""Drake.Tony Drake.""Mr.Drake.I can't understand why on earth Hendron would want me.If he's planning to take agroup of people to some safe spot in order to preserve scientific knowledge during the next year, he canfind hundreds of people, thousands of people, that have more knowledge to save, and a better memory tosave it in, than I have."Tony looked at the good-humored blue eyes and liked the young man.He felt instinctively thathere was one person whom Cole Hendron and the committee would surely accept.The name of the manbefore him, he recalled, was Jack Taylor--his record for a man of twenty-five was startling.He grinnedat the youth's speculation."You're a physicist, Taylor.If you were in Cole Hendron's shoes, and weretrying to take a group of people to a place of safety, just where, under the circumstances we anticipate,would you take them?"The other man was thoughtful for an instant."That's just what worried me.I can't think of anyplace on earth that would offer a refuge essentially satisfactory.""Exactly.No place on earth." Tony emphasized the last two words.Jack Taylor frowned quickly, and suddenly the freckles on his face stood out because his colorhad departed."God Almighty! You don't mean to suggest--"Tony lifted his hand and dropped it."I'm offering you a letter than will give you an interviewwith Cole Hendron.Do you want to go and see him?"For a minute Taylor did not answer.Then he said disjointedly: "Marvelous! My God--Hendron'sjust the man--the only man! To think that anybody would come around to give me a shot at such athing!" Tears suddenly filled his eyes, and he stood up and walked in two mighty strides to the window.Tony slapped his back."See you in New York.Better get going right away.So long, old man
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