"The congressman?" Marc ventured, then brightened as he noticed there was no interference from George. "Oh, yes. The congressman must be imprisoned at once, your honor. He's a national menace. He instigated a propaganda program to dope the public against the threat of the foreign powers. But worst of all, he has enough bacteria culture to murder the entire population." "And what's more," Toffee broke in, "he pinched my gadget." The judge's eyes swiveled about hauntedly. "He _what_?" "Pinched my gadget," Toffee insisted. "The one with the button." "Now just a minute," the judge said a little wildly. "Wasn't it the blonde woman who had her gadget pinched?" "Don't be silly," Toffee said. "She hasn't a gadget to be pinched." "She hasn't?" the judge said in a startled whisper. "What happened to her gadget?" "I guess she just didn't have one in the first place," Toffee said. "You can't just go out and buy them, you know." * * * * * The judge turned to the cop. "Do you know anything about why this blonde woman doesn't have a gadget?" he asked interestedly. "Search me," the cop said. "I didn't know she didn't. Maybe it's because her husband's a butcher. Maybe...." "Don't," the judge cried, shuddering. "Don't go on! I don't even want to think about it." "Well, who cares about her gadget anyway?" Toffee asked bewilderedly. "It's _my_ gadget I'm trying to tell you about." "And I don't want to hear about it," the judge said shortly. "This court is no place for examination room discussions." "Or much of anything else," Toffee retorted angrily. "Especially justice." "Look, judge," Marc put in desperately. "You've got to listen to me. About all this bacteria...." "Bacteria?" the judge said, startled. "What about bacteria?" "It's a threat," Marc said. "It's got to be stopped." The judge nodded. "My dentist said the same thing the other day. Are you a dentist?" "Of course I'm not a dentist," Marc said. "It's the congressman." "That's preposterous," the judge said. "The congressman isn't a dentist, never has been. You're just trying to rattle me." Again, as Marc started to speak, the voice from behind took over. "That's rich, that is," it slurred. "You were rattled the day you were born, you old tosspot, and you've been getting balmier ever since. If you have the brain of a gnat...." The gavel smashed down on the bench like the crack of doom. "Go!" the judge said. "Go and leave me alone! You're all trying to drive me out of my mind." "With a mind like yours," Toffee said, "it would be a fast drive on a kiddy car." "Go!" the judge screamed. "Go away!" Defeated by sheer volume, Marc and Toffee retreated back to their chairs and sat down. The one next to Marc's scraped back a trifle of its own volition. "You fiend!" Marc hissed at the empty chair. "That was a fine mess, wasn't it?"