any
irreparable harm to yourselves during the next few years."

"Well," Forrester said, "how could we--"

"If you'll permit me, sir," Bor Mellistos said, "I can explain. You
would work much as the so-called Gods did--but with no publicity, and a
greater sense of responsibility, if you understand me. Earth would never
know you were there."

"I'd have to--stay away from mortals?" Forrester asked.

"Exactly," Bor Mellistos said.

Well, Forrester thought, it had its compensations. In the three days
that the Detective Inspector had been on Earth, Forrester had had time
to think and to find out some things. Gerda, for instance, was getting
married to Alvin Sherdlap. Forrester wondered what kind of love would
let a woman choose a name like Gerda Sherdlap, and decided it was better
not to think about it.

What did he have to go back to? History classes? Students? Even students
like Maya Wilson?

Well, he was sure he could do better than that. He looked at Diana and
became even surer.

"The remaining eleven Overseers," Bor Mellistos was saying, "will be
along shortly. You will then be able to draw fully on the machine. You
need merely follow world events and make sure that any--ah--regrettably
_final_ decisions are not made. Your actions will, of course, be very
much undercover."

Forrester nodded. "This mass arrest of the Gods is going to cause an
upheaval all by itself."

"Quite true, sir. But that will be worked out. I'm afraid I don't really
know the details, but doubtless the other eleven who are coming will
inform you more thoroughly on that score."

Forrester sighed. "About the Gods--what kind of punishment will they
receive?"

"Well, sir," Bor Mellistos said, "it varies. Vulcan, for instance--the
person who called himself Vulcan, or Hephaestus--will probably get off
with a lighter sentence than the others. He was a mechanic, brought
along under some duress to service the machine. But the sentences will
be severe, you may be sure. Very severe."

Forrester didn't feel like asking any more questions about that. There
was a pause. He looked at Diana again, and she looked back at him.

"Do you accept?" Bor Mellistos said.

Forrester and the others nodded.

Bor Mellistos said: "Very well. In that case, I will inform the other
eleven Overseers already picked that they will be met by you here, on
Mount Olympus, and that--"

But Forrester wasn't listening.

He had begun whistling, very softly.

The song