When the Chief came in, both the boys were busy dismantling the gadget. Discouragement and hopelessness were written all over their faces, in the dejected slope of their shoulders, in the lackadaisical movements of their arms. Piece by piece, through the glass partition of his office wall, the Chief watched the gadget being taken apart. Each piece was carefully taken back and placed in stock for re-use. That alone was enough to create great alarm for their sanity. Imagine a technician putting a piece back to be used over! Finally the Chief could bear it no longer. He called them into his office. He carefully shut the door, but he didn't notice the back door swung open a little farther. I found it necessary to work close to the crack, and if I turned around, I could get a good view of the entire office. The Chief waved the boys into chairs across from his desk. He sat down and placed his fingertips together. Even then, I could see his hands were shaking. He leaned forward and asked with careful sympathy in his voice. "Didn't it work?" "Yeah," Kenzie answered in a bored voice. "It worked." I was surprised at Kenzie's voice. Usually he talked with the concise enunciation of a professor. Now he sounded like maybe just a good lab tech. "Then why are you dismantling it?" the Chief asked with a worried frown. "It wouldn't be good for people to know about it," Pringle burst out. "I don't understand," the Chief faltered. Then desperately, "Look, fellows. I've given you a lotta leeway. You've sluffed your work something terrible. That's all right to an extent. I've covered for you." "Thanks, Chief," Kenzie said drily. "But Old Rock--er--the General Manager," the Chief complained, "knows I've been working on something. Now what with budgets coming on, and all, I gotta have something to show!" "_You've_ been working on something--" Pringle exclaimed. "I mean my department has," the Chief covered himself hastily. "I'm responsible for what goes on in my department, you know. I gotta have some kind of an explanation." He was almost wailing now. "What with budgets coming on, and all." "Make up your own explanation," Kenzie answered disinterestedly. "It's a cinch you can't give out with the real one." The Chief began to wheedle. "You two boys know the explanation. Why can't you tell me? This is your Chief who's talking, boys. The one who has always stood by you and covered for you. Remember? You just gotta tell me, boys." I saw Pringle and Kenzie look at one another. "I guess he's right, Ken," Pringle said. "That is, if he promises never to tell anybody." "Yeah. I guess so." Kenzie nodded his head in agreement. "We owe him that much for just letting us alone." The Chief let out a big sigh of relief. "It's about ants," Kenzie began. "Now, now, Kenzie boy," the Chief interrupted hurriedly. "Let's stay on the subject, shall we? Let's not get off on that tangent again, Kenzie boy. Shall we?" "Nuts," Kenzie said.