"Very simply. Are you sure you won't have some wine?" The man poured himself a goblet of wine. "When Dreamtown began to become what it is today, I saw a perfect opportunity to cash in, so to speak, on a good thing. The details aren't important. I started small, and after I had sufficient power, I set up this legend of the Council. It was a simple thing to dispose of the few who knew the truth. Once that was done, the secret was easy to keep. I am self sufficient here. There has been no need to leave my apartments or my gardens. I send my directives, my orders, my requests, through the transitab or over the intercom. Food is left in an anteroom adjoining my chambers. Hardly anyone ever questioned me except in the beginning, and then there were always the Watchers, so the questioning soon stopped. Now, is there anything else you would like to know?" Dan turned and called to the others and they entered, their guns still trained on the Watchers. Dan explained what he had heard as they all listened in amazement. "I don't believe it! It's a trick!" one of the Watchers blurted out. The little man chuckled. "My boy, the trick is over. He told you the truth." "We're leaving now, and we're taking you with us to the Playground," Dan said. "My wine first," the man said and raised the goblet to his lips. "Yes, it's all over," he said softly and drained the goblet. Instantly the man's body went limp and he slumped to the floor before the shocked eyes of the others in the room. Dan rushed forward and examined the inert form on the floor. "He's dead! We'll have to leave him here. Lock the Watchers in that closet and let's go. We've got to get to the Playground." * * * * * They raced down the steps of the Council Building and headed toward the Playground. Occasionally they met a citizen of Dreamtown who fled before them in fear or merely stared in stupefied amazement. The Playground gates were open and there were Rebels surrounding its walls, their guns trained on captured groups of Watchers who stood sullenly, staring for the most part, at the ground. A cheer went up from the Rebels as they saw Dan and the others approaching. The courtyard of the Playground was dotted with Rebels guarding the great crowd that filled the stands which had been erected for the Festival. In the center of the courtyard was a platform on which stood Professor Corbett and some of the other Rebels. Dan yelled in delight as he recognized Nancy standing beside her father. In a great bound he was on the platform and Nancy was in his arms. When he released her, he spoke quietly to Professor Corbett. "Everything all right?" he asked. "Yes. We lost some men, but everything went according to plan." Dan turned to the shouting, fearful crowd before him in the stands. He raised his gun and fired three successive shots into the night air. The crowd quieted.