THE COSMIC COMPUTER

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work of opening these Federation installations can go on concurrently
with the search for Merlin, and the profits can finance it."

Silence for a moment, then a bedlam of cheering.

"Well, let's get organized," Gatworth said. "What will we call this
company?"

A number of voices shouted suggestions. Rodney Maxwell managed to get
recognition and partial silence.

"It is of the first importance," he said, "that we keep our real
objective?Merlin?as close a secret as possible. The Planetary Government
would like to get hold of it?and I leave you to ask yourselves how far
Jake Vyckhoven and his cronies are to be trusted with anything like
that?and I have no doubt the Federation might try to take it away from us."