Soldiers in blue were appearing from all over as he reached the Headquarters--which had once been, Riddell observed, Northburg City Hall. _He's got half the town militarized already_, he thought, seeing the swarm of blue-clad soldiers. He trotted up and filtered into the milling group outside GHQ. "What's up?" he asked the man nearest him. "Barr's calling a briefing session," the soldier said. "Didn't you hear the announcement?" "I was--busy," Riddell said, grinning sheepishly. "Must have missed it. We having a change of schedule?" "It probably means we'll march on Center City tonight," the other said. "Don't know why they're shifting plans." "Spies," said a third man. "Center City's catching wise. We're going to have to beat them to the punch. I hear they've had Northburg honey-combed with spies all week." "Yeah?" Riddell asked. "Hell, I thought our defense was tight as a drum." "Tight as a sieve, you mean." The other lowered his voice. "You know, I've been hoping this day would never come," he said unexpectedly. "What do you mean by that?" "Don't repeat this--but I still can't quite swallow everything Barr says about Center City planning to jump us for months, that we have to strike first. It doesn't sound right, somehow." "Brother, you can't trust those Center City people," said Riddell. "If Barr said it, Barr means it. You shouldn't be talking like this, you know." "I know. But I've wanted to get it off my chest for a long time, and you look like you've got an honest face." * * * * * Riddell grinned. "That's the most dangerous kind, pal." He turned away and stared around at the growing army. _So that's the story Barr's been dishing out? That explains his hold over these people. He's got them all scared stiff of us!_ Suddenly, Riddell knew that Barr could be stopped--that this whole juggernaut could be kept from going any further. Barr's machine was built on a quicksand foundation. The trumpet sounded again. Everyone looked up automatically. On a little balcony on the third floor of the building, a man stepped out. He was thin and wiry, with a browned, weather-beaten face, and even at this distance Riddell could see the fierce blaze of power-lust in his eyes. The man on the balcony was David Barr. * * * * * Riddell broke away from the crowd of men he was in and pushed his way through them toward the door of the former City Hall. A row of sergeants stood at the entrance. "Where you goin'?" one of them asked. "Got a message for Barr. Just came back from a spy-mission to Center City, and I've got information he's got to have!" The sergeants looked at each other uneasily, as if not sure whether to admit Riddell or not. He paused just a moment, then shoved past them and into the building. "Hey! Come back here!" Riddell ignored the shout and disappeared into the dark lobby of the building.