now he's
sensitive about--"

The captain seemed to be strangling. "And I thought it was _snobbery_!"
Then he exploded with laughter. He lay back on the grass and he howled.

The Buttons stared in amazement, and some creatures came out of the
trees to see what the uproar was all about.

The captain sat up. "What century is this?" he asked.

"The Twenty-second, of course," answered Betty. "But--but why?"

"I just wondered. I'll tell you later." He controlled himself with an
effort. "But we really mustn't use force on Aurelia, even in such a good
cause. It might turn her into the wrong kind of person."

"Turn her?" Betty repeated sadly. "I'm afraid that she already is. I
don't think she'll ever come out. I'm afraid she'll do something
desperate."

"I'm worried, too," the captain admitted, "but I'm certain she is the
right kind. The wrong kind of people can't live here. Sugar Plum doesn't
like them."

Betty and Charles both looked puzzled.

"I'll try to explain. It happens within a few hours, even if they aren't
uninhibited. If they are, then it's practically instantaneous. It's a--"

He broke off and looked up at the sky with a frown. There was an angry
red glow right above them, a far-distant roar.

They leaped to their feet. The glow brightened swiftly. It seemed to be
headed straight for them. The sound filled the air.

"We have visitors!" shouted the captain.

"Wh-who?" stammered Betty. "The police?"

"They don't use braking jets any more. It's an obsolete freighter."

"Oh!" Betty put her hands to her face in terror. "It's the _Beautiful
Joe_. That man Possett--he's coming back after Cousin Aurelia!"

The red glow passed to the northward. They saw the ship's shape for a
moment, spurting flame, slowing. Then it dropped out of sight. The
ground shuddered briefly. There was quiet.

The captain grabbed Betty's arm. "They're down in the clearing. Quick!
When he dropped you, did Possett take anything with him?"

"Just a fresh supply of water."

"My God!" blurted Charles. "That means they're--"

"_Uninhibited!_" yelled the captain. "And they're the wrong kind of
people. Betty! Charles! Can you run? Hey, Steward, give them a hand!"

"Aye, aye, sir," snapped the robot, hoisting the hampers and reaching an
elbow to each of the Buttons.

"Then let's go. I hope we can make it in time to save them!"

"_Them?_" gulped Charles, as the robot started to run.

But the captain already was too far ahead to hav