h with
him."

"What did you say it was?" she replied.

"Fireworks, for the Peace Day trade. We want to get it on sale about
the middle of the month."

"This was a fine time to deliver them. Peace Day isn't till the Tenth
of December. Put them down in the fireproof vault."

"That place is full of photographic film, and sporting ammunition, and
other merchandise; stuff we'll have to draw out to replace stock on
the shelves during the sale," the Illiterate objected.

"The weather forecast for the next couple of days is fair," Prestonby
reminded her. "Why not just pile the stuff on the top stage, beyond
the control tower, and put up warning signs?"

The man--Hutschnecker, Prestonby remembered hearing Claire call
him--nodded.

"That might be all right. We could cover the cases with tarpaulins."

A buzzer drew one of the Illiterates to a handphone. He listened for a
moment, and turned.

"Hey, there's a Mrs. H. Armytage Zydanowycz down in Furs; she wants to
buy one of those mutated-mink coats, and she's only got half a million
bucks with her. How's her credit?"

Claire handed Prestonby a black-bound book. "Confidential
credit-rating guide; look her up for us," she said.

Another buzzer rasped, before Prestonby could find the entry on
Zydanowycz, H. Armytage; the Illiterate office worker, laying down one
phone, grabbed up another.

"They're all outta small money in Notions; every son and his brother's
been in there in the last hour to buy a pair of dollar shoestrings
with a grand-note."

"I'll take care of that," Hutschnecker said. "Wait till I call control
tower, and tell them about the fireworks."

"How much does Mrs. H. Armytage Zydanowycz want credit for?" Prestonby
asked. "The book says her husband's good for up to fifteen million, or
fifty million in thirty days."

"Those coats are only five million," Claire said. "Let her have it; be
sure to get her thumbprint, though, and send it up here for
comparison."

"Oh, Claire; do you know how we're going to handle this new Literate
crew, when they get here?"

"Yes, here's the TO for Literate service." She tossed a big chart
across the desk to him. "I made a few notes on it; you can give it to
whoever is in charge."

* * * * *

It went on, like that, for the next hour. When the new Literate crew
arrived, Prestonby was delighted to find a friend, and a
fellow-follower of Lancedale, in charge. Considering that Retail
Mercha