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Dad's breathing echoed like fists beating against the cold harf stones In the shadow, Mom's cat eyes just watched Father for some clue to what next

Dad relaxed and blew out a breath, laughing at himself

"The rocket, of course I' jumpy The rocket"

Michael said, "What happened, Dad, what happened?"

"Oh, we just blew up our rocket, is all," said Ti to sound matter-of-fact "I've heard rockets blown up before Ours just blew"

"Why did we blow up our rocket?" asked Michael "Huh, Dad?"

"It's part of the game, silly!" said Timothy

"A game!" Michael and Robert loved the word

"Dad fixed it so it would blow up and no one'd knohere we landed or went! In case they ever ca, see?"

"Oh boy, a secret!"

"Scared by my own rocket," admitted Dad to Mom "I am nervous It's silly to think there'll ever be any et through with their ship"

He put his tiny radio to his ear again After two

"It's over at last," he said to Mom "The radio just went off the atoone They dwindled down to a couple in the last few years Now the air's completely silent It'll probably remain silent"

"For how long?" asked Robert

"Maybe--your great-grandchildren will hear it again," said Dad He just sat there, and the children were caught in the center of his awe and defeat and resignation and acceptance