ed into the Holden house with Jimmy.

Jimmy had the run of the house--almost. Uncle Paul closed off the upper
sitting room, which the late parents had converted into their laboratory.
_That_ was locked. But the rest of the house was free, and Jimmy was once
more among the things he had never hoped to see again.

Brennan's next step was to hire a middle-aged couple to take care of
house and boy. Their name was Mitchell; they were childless and regretted
it; they lavished on Jimmy the special love and care that comes only from
childless child-lovers.

Though Jimmy was wary to the point of paranoia, he discovered that he
wanted for nothing. He was kept clean and his home kept tidy. He was fed
well--not only in terms of nourishment, but in terms of what he liked.

Then ... Jimmy began to notice changes.

_Huckleberry Finn_ turned up missing. In its place on the shelf was a
collection of Little Golden Books.

His advanced Mecanno set was "broken"--so Mrs. Mitchell told him. Uncle
Paul had accidentally crushed it. "But you'll like this better," she
beamed, handing him a fresh new box from the toy store. It contained
bright-colored modular blocks.

Jimmy's parents had given him canvasboard and oil paints; now they were
gone. Jimmy would have admitted he was no artist; but he didn't enjoy
retrogressing to his uncle's selection--finger paints.

His supply of drawing paper was not tampered with. But it was not
replaced. When it was gone, Jimmy was presented with a blackboard and
boxes of colored chalk.

By Christmas every possession was gone--replaced--the new toys tailored
to Jimmy's physical age. There was a Christmas tree, and under it a pile
of gay bright boxes. Jimmy had hardly the heart to open them, for he knew
what they would contain.

He was right.

Jimmy had everything that would keep a five-year-old boy
contented ... and not one iota more. He objected; his objections got him
nowhere. Mrs. Mitchell was reproachful: Ingratitude, Jimmy! Mr. Mitchell
was scornful: Maybe James would like to vote and smoke a pipe?

And Paul Brennan was very clear. There was a way out of this, yes. Jimmy
could have whatever he liked. There was just this one step that must be
taken first; the machine must be put back together again.

When it came time for Jimmy to start school he was absolutely delighted;
nothing, nothing could be worse than this.

At first it was a novel experience.

He sat at a desk along with forty-seven o