"'... spots like this in space,' number two picked up. 'It has something to do with gravity balances and radiation zones and thought-energy sumps and a lot of other ...'
"'... things like that that we don't understand either because we haven't had it in school yet. But we do know that it's the best place we can reach for space swimming, only ...'
"'... it's too far for us to get to and pull along our clothes too. Besides which, what boy would want to go swimming with his clothes on anyway?' They both came to a full stop.
"'The only thing wrong with it,' the speaker had shifted again, 'is, it's even too far to bring along any sandwiches and cookies and stuff.'
"I stopped swinging my head back and forth from one to the other as the speaker shifted, and shook myself awake. 'How about some chocolate cake and a bulb or two of milk? I've got plenty of both,' I told them."
"Oh, come now," I said to Captain Hannah, glancing at the row of rhial beakers in front of him. In spite of his space tan, I could see him blush.
"Well, I like chocolate cake," he said defensively. "And drinking milk when I'm in space gets my stomach back in shape for going ashore again with the likes of you. What's wrong with that, I'd like to know?"
I signified "Nothing at all," with an elaborate gesture, and he went back to his story after dipping his nose.
"Well, I gave each of them some cake and milk, and they sat down politely at my table to eat it ... and the plates stayed on the table and the cake stayed on the plates even though there wasn't any gravity and I didn't have any spin on the ship.