I stood up and walked around the desk and put my hands on his shoulders. "Mike," I said, "how many Christmases can you remember?" "Gee, Daddy, I don't know. Lots and lots." "Let's see, now. You're thirty-eight, and Christmas comes twice a year, so that's two times thirty-eight--seventy-six Christmases. Of course, you can't remember _all_ of them. But of the ones you remember, did you ever _not_ see Santa Claus, Mike?" "No, Daddy. I always saw him." "Well then, why come asking me if there is such a person when you know there is because you see him all the time?" Mike-One looked more uncomfortable than ever. "Well, Adam-Two says he don't think there is a Cold Side of Number One Sun. He thinks it's hot all the way around, an' if that's so then Santa Claus couldn't live there. He says he thinks Santa Claus is just pretend an' that you or somebody from the Council of Uncles dresses up that way at Christmastime." I scowled. How the devil had Adam-Two managed to figure _that_ one out? "Listen, Mike," I said. "You trust your Daddy, don't you?" "Golly. Course I do!" "All right, then. There _is_ a Santa Claus, Mike-One. He's as real as you or me or the pink clouds or the green rain.... He's as real as Fairyland itself. So just don't pay any more attention to Adam-Two and his crazy notions. Okay?" He grinned and stood up, blinking his eyes to hold back the tears. "Th-thank you, Daddy!" I clapped him on the back. "You're welcome, pal. Now if you hurry, you just might get back down in time for a dish of ice cream!" * * * * * When the indicator over the elevator door told me that Mike-One had been safely deposited at the bottom of Daddy's Tower, I walked across the circular office to the windows facing the Compound. Ice Cream Recess was about over and the Kids were straggling out in all directions from the peppermint-striped Ice Cream and Candy Factory just to the right of the Midway entrance. Except for the few whose turn it was to learn "something new" in Mommy's school room, they were on their own from now until Lunchtime. It was Free-Play period. From my hundred-foot high vantage point, I watched them go; walking, running, skipping or hopping toward their favorite play spots. They had their choice of the slides and swings in the Playground, the swimming pool, tennis courts, ball diamond, gridiron, golf course, bowling alley and skating rinks--and of course, the rides on the Midway.