I arrange a meeting with Impey Barbicane, president of the Baltimore Gun Club. We talk about the Russians.

The Russians once tried to test if there was intelligent life on the Moon, by writing giant words on the ground, to see if any moon people responded. We talk about how Americans can do better!

Russia just sent a message. Americans can send a man! America can do what mankind has dreamed of since the first human looked up into the sky and wondered. America will be the first to put a man on the moon! I can see national pride swell up in him: he wants to do it! Impey Barbicane will make it happen!!

We discuss how big the gun should be. A 2000 foot gun? That would be ideal, but so expensive we might never raise the money. Or a 900 foot gun, the shortest and cheapest that might do it? Or something else?