As they were leaving the diner, Pepper March came charging in with a flock of admiring Valley Viewers behind him.
“Wait up,” Pepper whooped, grabbing his defeated rivals as they tried to dodge past him. “My treat. Come have a Coke while I tell you about my good luck.”
“Another Coke!” Sandy groaned. He had practically lived on them during the science fair. But curiosity got the better of him and he went back to the counter, followed by Quiz. By the time he found a stool, Pepper was holding forth.
“You know Mr. Cavanaugh, the man I got some of the stuff for my voice-caster from?”
“The man from whom you borrowed all your equipment,” Sandy corrected between his teeth.
“That’s what you think, Honorable Mention.” Pepper turned to his admirers. “Anyway, he has a sideline: spends his summers hunting uranium. Also, he’s the same Red Cavanaugh who was All-American quarterback for State U. in 1930. He’s the fellow who ran three touchdowns against California in the Thanksgiving game that year.”
“There was a Cavanaugh who made All-American,” Quiz agreed as he scratched his round head, “but I thought....”
“See!” cried Pepper. “Quiz knows all there is to know about football. He’s heard about Red. Well, Mr. Cavanaugh attends all the Valley View games. Says he likes the way I run touchdowns.” Pepper leered at Sandy, who was not always the spectacular player that Pepper was. “Also, Mr. Cavanaugh appreciates the plugs I gave to his laboratory whenever I explained my voice-caster, so what do you think...?”
“He’s going to install you as a loud-speaker in one of his TV sets,” Quiz suggested.
“Nah!” Pepper stopped the laughter with a lordly, upraised hand. “He’s giving me a summer job. I’m going to help him hunt uranium.”