For a moment, it seemed he would succeed. But two of the RAs suddenly reared erect and seized him by the arms. They bore him on their shoulders and deposited him back on the ridge beside McIntosh. "Warm tonight," Drummond observed bitterly, glancing up at the sky. "Sure is," Angus agreed, his voice calm. "Wouldn't be surprised if we got some rain tomorrow." * * * * * Drummond flipped another pebble and it _pinged_ down on a metal back. "Seven out of thirteen." "Getting good." "Look, let's tell 'em we're their Supervisor and end this marathon worship." "Which one of us is going to play the divine role?" "What difference does it make?" Angus shrugged and his tired eyes stared off into the darkness. "One of us is--Jackson. The other is an impostor, brought here to test their faith. When they find out which is which, what are they going to do to the impostor?" Drummond looked startled. "I see what you mean." The miniature moon had wheeled its way to the zenith and now the first gray tinge of dawn silhouetted the peaks of the mountain range. Angus rose and stretched. "We've got to find out what their function is." "Why?" "It looks like religion is their only interest. But maybe that's because they're completely frustrated in their basic compulsion. If we could discover their function, maybe we could focus their attention back on it." "RA," Drummond mumbled puzzledly. "Robot agriculturist?" * * * * * Angus shook his head. "They wouldn't be frustrated--not with a whole planet to farm. Besides, they'd be equipped with agricultural implements instead of wrenches." Drummond got up suddenly. "You figure it out. I have something else to try." Angus followed him along the ledge until they reached the mouth of the cave. "What are you going to do?" Drummond hitched his trousers. "The way we're ringed in here, it's a cinch we won't get past 'em in the six hours we have left." "So you're going to make off through the cave?" The younger man nodded. "They might take off after me. That'll give you a chance to get to the ship and cut off those converters before they make like a nova." Angus chuckled. "Suppose half of them decide to stay here with me?" Drummond swore impatiently at his skepticism. "At any rate, one of us might get back to the converters." "And leave the other here?" "He can say he's Jackson and order an attack in force on the ship." "I don't follow you." "Skidding the ship in a circle with the exhaust blowers on," Drummond explained patiently, "will take care of _ten thousand_ clunkers." He dropped from the ledge and raced into the cave. None of the robots stirred. Either they hadn't noticed Drummond's departure, Angus reasoned, or they weren't concerned because they knew the cave led nowhere. * * * * *