They had intended to begin the search for materials to build another contraption, but before he was fully dressed, from somewhere, there was a soft tinkling sound. It was repeated, signal-like, from a far corner of the room. It came from what could only have been an extremely simplified, compact version of the telephone, installed integrally with the ample arm of a lounging chair. "Shall I?" he hesitated. "Be careful...." Doug lifted the slender receiver. "Blair," he said. "Quadrate Blair, sorry, sir, that the liberty was taken to disturb you at your home. However, because of the urgency of this morning's conference at your offices, it was considered wise to remind you of the time it is planned to convene, as per Instruction 43-A. May you be expected at 1100 hours, sir?" He dared not hesitate. "Yes, yes of course." The voice he answered was a woman's. "Will you wish the 'copter as usual, sir?" "Why--yes of course, as usual. Thank you...." He hung up quickly. Dot was looking at him with the question held at her lips. "I'm expected at some sort of high-powered pow-wow in--" he glanced at a delicate clock inset in the chair's opposite arm, "--less than a half-hour. They're sending a 'copter for me. God knows what will happen if I don't show up." And, he observed to himself, only God knew what would happen when he did. CHAPTER V When the 'copter swished to a feather-like landing on the wide expanse of the front lawn, Doug was ready. He had dressed himself in one of the dozen uniforms he had found arrayed in neat order in a full-length bedroom closet. He fastened the cape at his throat, wished suddenly that there was some way he could take Dot with him. Suddenly she was in his arms, and Doug could feel her tremble. "Don't worry, honey," Doug said. He opened the door. "So far it looks pretty civilized--hell, they couldn't be any worse than the quaint little tribe of cut-throats back home! Matter of fact, if I thought for a minute anyone here'd believe me--" "Better not, Doug." "Not a chance. I'm still one of Our Crowd--I don't trust anybody! And don't you--Stay put right here 'til I'm back, understand?" He kissed her, then walked across the lawn to the idling helicopter. It was empty. He got inside, then saw the red button with the one word RETURN under it. He punched it. Effortlessly, the robot-controlled craft lifted, wafted him in seconds high above the city. Its rise stopped at what he judged was about 1,000 feet, then proceeded on a course of its own. "Wonderful, these dreamers," he muttered, and became engrossed in study of the fabulous city below him. There was no capitol dome, nor could he find the Washington monument. But there was still the Potomac, and there were the cherry blossoms.