ently. I hope you will keep
the secret. I have been here so long. Princess, I am really one of you
now. At heart, certainly."

"From when did you come?" she demanded.

* * * * *

He bowed slightly. "I think that may remain my own affair, Tina. It is
through no fault of mine I am outlawed. I shall never return." He
added earnestly, "Do not you think we waste time? I am agreed with
young Larry that something drastic must be done about Migul. Have you
seen the Council about it to-day?"

"Yes. They want you to come to them at once."

"I shall. But the Council easily may decide upon something too rash."
He lowered his voice, and on his face Larry saw a strange,
unfathomable look. "Princess, at any moment there may be a Robot
uprising. Is the Power House well guarded by humans?"

"Yes," she said.

"No Robots in or about it? Tina, I do not want to frighten you, but I
think our first efforts should be for defense. The Council acts slowly
and stubbornly. What I advise them to do may be done, and may not. I
was thinking. If we could get to the Power House--Do you realize,
Tina, that if the Robots should suddenly break into rebellion, they
would attack first of all the Power House?[5] It was my idea--"

[Footnote 5: The Power House on the Hudson dam was operated by inert
machinery and manned entirely by humans--the only place in the city
which was so handled. This was because of its extreme importance. The
air-power was broadcast from there. Without that power the entire
several hundred mile district around New York would be dead. No
aircraft could enter, save perhaps some skilfully handled motorless
glider, if aided by sufficiently fortuitous air currents. Every
surface vehicle used this power, and every sub-sea freighter. The city
lights, and every form of city power, were centralized here also, as
well as the broadcasting audible and etheric transmitters and
receivers. Without the Power House, New York City and all its
neighborhood would be inoperative, and cut off from the outside
world.]

Tugh suddenly broke off, and all stood listening. There was a
commotion overhead in the palace. They heard the thud of running
footsteps; human voices raised to shouts; and, outside the palace,
other voices. A ventilating shaft nearby brought them down plainly.
There were the guttural, hollow voices of shouting Robots, the clank
of their metal bodies; the ring of steel, as though with sword-blades