Walt snapped the switches on. For to the trained technician, a blown fuse is not an ill. It is a symptom of an ill, and no trained technician ever replaced a blown fuse without attempting to find out why and where the overload occurred. Walt crept painfully back to bed and huddled under the blankets against Christine. "Kiddo," he said in a dry-cracked voice, "I did what I could! Honest." The oblivion of cold claimed Walt again.... * * * * * "--there is but one unhappy note in this scene of revelry," continued Don Channing a bit soberly. "We're sorry that Walt Franks took this opportunity of rushing off to get matrimonially involved with Christine Baler. He didn't know this was imminent, of course, otherwise he'd have been here. We all love Walt and he'll be unhappy that he missed the blowout here. Fact is, fellers, I'd give eight years off of the end of my life to get any kind of word from Walt--" An alarm clamored in the hallway and Wes Farrell jumped a foot. He headed for the door, but Channing stopped him with a gesture. "Friend Farrell forgets that we no longer care," laughed Channing. "That was the main fuse in the solar-energy tubes blowing out and we won't be needing them any more. It is sort of pleasant to know that a fuse blew--a thing that was formerly master and we the slave--and that we don't have to give a hoot whether it blew or not. Let it blow, Wes. We don't need power any more! "So I suggest that we all have a quick one on Walt Franks wishing him health and happiness for the rest of his life with Christine nee Baler, even though the big bum did cheat us out of the privilege of kissing his bride. "And now, I'm going to step aside and let Santa Claus take over." There was a thunderous roar of applause, and Channing rejoined Arden and the rest of them, who had sort of gravitated together. "Merry Christmas," he grinned at them. Keg Johnson nodded. "Merry Christmas--and on to Terra for your Happy New Year!" They raised their glasses, and it was Wes Farrell who said: "To Walt--and may he be as happy as we are!" Arden chuckled. "We used to sing a song about 'Walt's Faults' but there's one thing, Walt would have replaced that fuse even though we didn't need it. The old string-saver!" A messenger came up and tapped Don on the shoulder. Channing turned with an apologetic smile to his guests and said: "I get more damned interruptions. They tell me that someone is knocking on the spacelock door. If anyone here knows any prayers, let 'em make with a short one. Pray this--whoever it is--knows something about Walt." Don left the party and went along the cold, snow-filled corridor to his office. As one of the few remaining places where operations were in full tilt, Channing's office was where any visitor would be conducted. Once the business was finished, Channing could hurl the guest into the middle of the big party, but the party was no place to try to conduct business in the first place.