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.”I agreed quickly.We raced two laps and I outdistanced him easily.“Doggone fish,” he called out, treading water.“Forgot you’re an Islander.Come on, let’s try it again.”It was a challenge to him.A test he couldn’t ignore.After half a dozen laps he was keeping up with me.He didn’t have the right coordination, but he thrashed along on brute force, just about matching me, stroke for stroke.“Looks as though you can do everything,” I said as we finally hauled ourselves out of the pool.“No sense trying to do anything unless you can do it right,” he answered.While we dressed in the locker room, Tuli said quietly to me, “He’s the type who either excels in what he’s doing, or simply doesn’t do it.He’s about as good in karate now as I am, although I’ve been studying the art for years and he’s been at it only a few months.”“He’s an unusual person,” I agreed.“When I first came to MIT last year,” Tuli added, “Ted was the only one to accept me right away.My English was terrible, of course.He shared his apartment with me and spent two solid months working on my pronunciation.There are not many like him.”After we were dressed, Ted suggested we get an early lunch.“Here at the Y?” I asked.He nodded.“I’ve got to see some people in Boston,” I lied.Shrugging, he said, “Okay.See you soon.”He turned for the locker-room door.“I wanted to ask you,” I said, walking alongside him, “how the long-range forecasts are going.”That brought a smile.“Great, so far.The hand calculation I did the middle of the week looks solid.This morning’s official forecast by the Boston Weather Bureau office is just the same as mine.but not as detailed, of course.”“And yours was made three days ago.”“Four.We’ve got the MIT computer running off the detailed forecast for the coming week.Should be finishing the run tonight.Then it’s just the dogwork of checking everything out.got the whole country to check on for the next eight days, Sunday to Sunday.”“And you have half the MIT Department of Meteorology and three-fourths of Climatology’s computer section helping you,” Tuli said, pushing the locker-room door open.“That many? Good.we’ll need ’em.And more.”I asked, “Does Dr.Rossman know about all this?”Ted winced.“Hope not.At least, not yet.If he finds out how much time and manpower we’re throwing into this bootlegged work.”“He might consider some Eastern methods we have of dealing with undesirables,” Tuli said, straight-faced.“By Friday we’ll have the predictions for the whole country checked out for most of the week.I’ll tell Rossman about it then.if everything’s working okay.”“Why don’t we celebrate?” I suggested.“We could go down to Thornton for the weekend.”“Thornton?”“My family’s place in Marblehead.”Ted glanced at Tuli.“Okay, why not? Maybe a celebration’ll be in order next weekend.”We shook hands on it, and I told them I’d ask Barney along, too.“I’ll ask Barney,” Ted said.There was nothing really hostile in his voice when he said it, but his tone was awfully firm.4.BarneyIT WAS Sunday afternoon before I heard from any of them again.I was in my hotel room, watching TV, when the phone rang.To my surprise, it was Barney.“Ted just told me that you’ve invited us to Marblehead for next weekend.”“That’s right.” I nodded.“I hope you can come.”“I don’t see why not.And it’s very sweet of you to ask us.I just thought I’d warn you, though.I stole a look at Ted’s forecast for the area, and it looks as though it will rain right through the weekend.”Just what we need, I said to myself.Aloud, I told her, “That’s too bad; I had hoped to take you out boating.Maybe Ted’s forecast won’t turn out.”“Don’t say that.he’d be heartbroken.”“I suppose so.”Shaking her head, she said, “I’d love to go sailing, though.It’s a shame
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