"Let's see. Squeeze the tube until the diaphragm at the nozzle ruptures. Extrude paste into seam. Allow to harden one hour before service."
Major Winship said dryly, "Never mind. I notice it hardens on contact with air."
Capt. Wilkins lay back on the bunk and stared upward. He said, "Now that makes a weird kind of sense, doesn't it?"
"How do they possibly think—?"
"Gentlemen! It doesn't make any difference," Lt. Chandler said. "Some air must already have leaked into this one. It's hard as a rock. A gorilla couldn't extrude it."
"How're the other ones?" asked Major Winship.
Lt. Chandler turned and made a quick examination. "Oh, they're all hard, too."
"Who was supposed to check?" demanded Capt. Wilkins in exasperation.
"The only way you can check is to extrude it," Lt. Chandler said, "and if it does extrude, you've ruined it."
"That's that," Major Winship said. "There's nothing for it but to yell help."