"I'll distribute a chisel to each of you," he said, "and as you open each box, place its contents on your bunk, so that it can be inspected for fitness before use. "You will open the smallest box first. In it you will find your helmet and polishing kit. The helmet is to be kept shined at all times--if anybody's isn't it's ten demerits. Fifty, as you've all been told, and you get your records marked 'insufficient conditioning'. Your helmets may look heavy--on Earth they'd weigh about five pounds, but here they're just a little less than four. You'll get used to them. "In the second box--the flat one--you'll find all your personal maintenance equipment. You should have a whetstone, extra leather thongs, a set of files, and a small can of oil. They're to be kept in the condition which you find them, and will be worn at all times on the shoulder equipment sling which is in the third box. "In the third box--the long, flat one, are your most important pieces of equipment. I'll show you how they attach to your arm belt. Needless to say, they must be kept thoroughly polished--and sharpened--at all times. Now I'll give out the chisels, and you can open the boxes." They did. Terry and Mike helped each other when they got their chisels. They followed Jon's directions perfectly. First the helmet and the polishing kit. Then the whetstone, extra leather thongs, the set of files, the can of oil, and the shoulder equipment sling. Then the eight-inch dagger, the two-foot spiked mace, and the double-edged broadsword.... CHAPTER IV The price of the paper was $3,000. "Doug--do we dare--" "No. We've only got a second or so, as though we were just interested passersby, looking at the headlines. Got to be careful." PRELATINATE OKs MORE FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS the eight-column streamer read. Doug scanned the two-column lead quickly. "Washington, April, 17--(WP)--Prelate General Wendel announced through his press headquarters here tonight that both houses of the Prelatinate have unanimously voted to grant the request of the Council of Education, 27th Department, for seven trillion dollars in additional funds for school building. The funds will be used for the replacement of 34 outmoded buildings in the Department, the newest of which, it was said, is more than 12 years old. The Council's original request for five trillion dollars was increased by the Prelatinate to seven trillion in recognition of--" _Good Lord_, he thought, _good Lord...._ _City Cabinet Praises Mayor On Budget Expansion...._ _Area Industries Vote Shorter Work Week...._ _Liberals, Conservatives In Accord On Labor Issue...._ _S-Council Reports Second Arrest In Four Years...._ _Veteran Civic Leader Admits Wisdom Of Youth Group's Plan...._ "Doug--oh Doug, none of this can be real...." "We'd better go. Back to the house. And take it easy, lady...." He managed to grin a little.