r of mine was
non-random. It was the multiple recording of ten thousand different
conversations, all meaningless, against a background of "white" noise.
Try that one on your differential analyzers.

By the time I got through, nobody could tap a dialogue in that room,
barring, as I said, bugs more sophisticated than any the United
Nations knew about.

* * * * *

Then I went over and tapped on the communicating door between my room
and Jack Ravenhurst's. There was no answer.

I said, "Jack, I'm coming in. I have a key."

She said, "Go away. I'm not dressed. I'm going to bed."

"Grab something quick," I told her. "I'm coming in."

I keyed open the door.

She was no more dressed for bed than I was, unless she made a habit of
sleeping in her best evening togs. Anger blazed in her eyes for a
second, then that faded, and she tried to look all sweetness and
light.

"I was trying on some new clothes," she said innocently.

A lot of people might have believed her. The emotional field she threw
out, encouraging utter belief in her every word, was as powerful as
any I'd ever felt. I just let it wash past me and said: "Come into my
room for a few minutes, Jack; I want to talk to you."

I didn't put any particular emphasis into it. I don't have to. She
came.

Once we were both inside my shielded room with the walls vibrating
with ten thousand voices and a hush area in the center, I said
patiently, "Jack, I personally don't care where you go or what you do.
Tomorrow, you can do your vanishing act and have yourself a ball, for
all I care. But there are certain things that have to be done first.
Now, sit down and listen."

She sat down, her eyes wide. Evidently, nobody had ever beaten her at
her own game before.

"Tonight, you'll stay here and get some sleep. Tomorrow, we go for a
tour of Viking, first thing in the morning. Tomorrow afternoon, as
soon as I think the time is ripe, you can sneak off. I'll show you how
to change your appearance so you won't be recognized. You can have all
the fun you want for twenty-four hours. I, of course, will be hunting
high and low for you, but I won't find you until I have finished my
investigation.

"On the other hand, I want to know where you are at all times, so that
I can get in touch with you if I need you. So, no matter where you
are, you'll keep in touch by phoning BANning 6226 every time you
change location. Got that number?"

She nodded.