e?"

"Your work is going on above-ground," said Jerran, rubbing his chin. "We
can't be of more use anywhere else, it seems to me, than we may be right
here."

They sat and watched the inert form of Doctorklapham, while two of their
rebels went out into the mine to round up anyone who would join them. In
something over half an hour they were back. "The mine's been cleared;
nothing anywhere except this man, who was on the lowest level and hasn't
heard a thing."

"They missed me, I guess," said the newcomer. "I was off in an abandoned
tunnel sleeping."

"We're eight, then." The Mink scratched his head reflectively. "Not a
bad fighting force. Provided they don't smear this whole valley, I think
we can win clear--after we see what this fellow is going to do."

"I think I see him breathing," said the girl breathlessly. She was
sitting with a book on her lap, trying to decipher the meaning of its
words. "Look at his throat."

* * * * *

Doctorklapham made a strange sound in his chest, a clicking, quite
audible noise, and unfolding his strong hands, sat up.

"Well," he said clearly, "didn't it work?" Then he took a closer look at
the eight people standing beside him. "Oh, my Lord," he said, "it _did_
work!"

"He speaks Orbish," said Rack, "but with a different accent. Could he be
from the far towns?"

"No, you idiot, from the Ancient Kingdom," said Revel. "Your name is
Doctorklapham, isn't it?"

"Roughly, yes." The sleeper worked his jaws and massaged his hands.
"Wonderful stuff, that preservative ... what year is this, my friend?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"What's the date?"

"Date?"

"God, this I wasn't prepared for." He hoisted himself over and jumped
down with boyish energy. "Tell me about the world," he said. "I guess
I've been asleep a long time."

"Yes, if you were put here in the time of the Ancient Kingdom." Revel
was trembling with excitement. "Why are you still alive?"

"Friend, judging from your clothes and those picks, and the primitive
look of those lanterns, which must date from about 2015, I'd say it'd be
pretty useless to tell you how come I'm alive. Just call it science."

"What's that?"

"Science? Electronics, atomic research, mechanics, what have you--mean
anything?"

"I'm sorry," said the Mink, "no."

"You speak quite decent English, you know. It's funny it hasn't changed
much, unless I've been asleep a lot shorter a period than I figure."