correspondent reported. Intelligence officers believed at that
time that the balls might be radar-controlled objects sent up to
foul ignition systems or baffle Allied radar networks.
There is no explanation of their appearance here, unless the
objects could have been imported for secret tests in this country.

I read the last paragraph twice. This looked like a strong lead to the
answer, in spite of the Air Force denials. There was another, less
pleasant possibility. The Russians could have seized the device and
developed it secretly, using Nazi scientists to help them. Perhaps the
Nazis had been close to an atomic engine, even if they did fail to
produce the bomb.

Jack Daly came in while I was reading the story again.

"I got the dope on Steele," he said. "He does pieces for a small
syndicate, and I found out he was in the Air Force. I think he was a
captain. People who know him say he's O.K.--a straight shooter."

"That still wouldn't keep him from giving me a fake tip, if somebody
told him it was the right thing to do."

"Maybe not," said Jack, "but why would they want to plant this
foo-fighter idea?"

I showed him the clipping. He read it over and shook his head.

"That's a lot different from disks three hundred feet in diameter."

"If we got the principle--or Russia did-building big ones might not be