The next afternoon Miss Babs took him for a walk again. It was a day of dancing summer sunlight, and very happily he led her down the little path through the garden, and out the side gate where the road passed that led to the village. "Take the path to the stream, Toory. Then we can come back the other way--around the hill." "Yes, Miss Babs," Toory said. They had walked here many times, and it was easy not to do it wrong. Toory followed the road until they reached the rocky hill that lay beyond it. The stream roared as it tumbled through the ravine where the swaying catwalk swing-bridge dangled from a dizzy height across the cliff-tops. Here in the open it was placidly babbling over moss-covered stones. He remembered how Miss Babs had told him that the little brook was always happy here, because it laughed all the time. At the stream edge she sat down in the sunlight, and motionless under wait-command Toory stood pridefully at her side. A big flyer was faintly roaring as it passed high overhead. The red eye-beams of Toory's gaze streamed up to it, but he didn't have to be alert, because it wasn't dangerous to Miss Babs. Presently he heard footsteps approaching and recognized the tread of Higgins. He had been aware of the sound very faintly behind him almost all the way from the house. Then Higgins came in sight. He walked straight past Toory toward Miss Babs. "Nice afternoon, Miss Babs," he said. "Oh--is that you, Higgins," the blind girl asked. "That it is, Ma'am. My day off, you know. A chap can do with a bit of walking outdoors now and then." "Yes, it's a beautiful day, Higgins," Miss Babs agreed. The steward's slim, wiry body was clad in a white-striped blue suit, and he wore a high stiff collar, and a red necktie. He had no hat, so that the summer breeze was ruffling his thin, sandy hair. He lingered, standing beside Babs with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Toory waited motionless nearby, and presently he knew from the unheeded blur of their words that they were talking of Model 2 RY. "And I never once spoke to it, Miss Babs. Not all this time." The girl smiled. "Did you want to, Higgins?" "Well, I don't know. Gives you a sort of rummy feeling, a thing like that standin' around all the time. Shall I try speakin' to it now, Miss Babs?" She laughed. "Of course, if you wish. Go ahead, and say, 'Hello' to him." "Hello, Toory," Higgins said. "Hello," Toory responded. It was just like Nerina's greeting, and easy to answer properly. "Science is sure wonderful," Higgins said. "He remembers everything he ever knew, don't he? That's what Mr. Doret was saying--the thing's got a memory-tape that puts everything down, just like he was writin' it in a book. Does he learn new things easy, Miss Babs?" "Yes, he's quite quick to learn," Miss Babs assured him. "What I mean, if you tell him something new--not just something he's been taught--what would he do? Could I try him out, Miss Babs?"