"Relax hell! He's using our invention to put up the steel girders. Just like we suggested to him. Guys with boxes like ours making holes and putting in rivets!" Bill stopped what he was doing. "He said he'd call us. Maybe he forgot. Maybe we better go see him." They both knocked off work the next day and got to Blair's office at nine o'clock. The red-headed secretary said, "You'll have to make an appointment." "Appointment hell!" Ted headed for the inner door. Bill followed him. They went into H. Joshua Blair's office to find him in conference with two vice-presidents. Ted said, "Mr. Blair, we came--" "Who in the devil are you?" "You remember us. Ted Baker and Bill Stephens. We came about our invention." "What invention?" "Our hole maker. You're using it on the City Hall addition." Blair glowered. "Where'd you get the idea it was yours? Have you got any patents to show?" "Well, no. We didn't--" "I did! Fourteen good solid patents. You two better go peddle your groceries." "Now look, Mr. Blair." Blair raised his voice. "Throw these two bums out!" Three huskies appeared as by magic to do Blair's bidding. As Ted and Bill landed on the sidewalk, one of the vice-presidents said, "Do you think that was smart, H. J.? They might cause trouble." Blair snorted. "They haven't got a prayer. A meter reader and a grocery clerk!" "We could have at least given them a few hundred." "Not on your life. Never give a sucker an even break, Jim. Give them anything at all, we acknowledge their claim. That'd be stupid." "Maybe you're right." "Of course I'm right. It's business. Now about those other bids. By gad! We can run every contractor in town out of competition! They can't touch our prices!" Out on the sidewalk, Bill and Ted sat mournfully looking up at the vast steel skeleton, held together literally by their own genius. Ted said, "We got a raw deal." "Maybe we had it coming. We were pretty stupid." "Anything we can do?" "Doesn't look like it." "Maybe the leather solution will turn out." "Maybe." Bill looked wistfully up at the steel skeleton. "At even a cent a hole, we'd have done all right." "Let's go home and get to work." * * * * * In the Mighty and Benevolent Kingdom of Szkazia, a minor reign of terror existed. The King, tired of complaints from his subjects, had just finished dressing down his Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was passing the abuse on to his Chief Scientist. "If something isn't done soon, I won't be responsible for your head, my friend. The King is in a rage." The eyes of the Chief Scientist watered--partly from fear, and partly from nights and days spent in his laboratory beating out his brains on one idea after another. "I'm doing my best, sire--"