Rivets and Sprockets Read Online Free PDF Page B

Ethics demands that one of us must somehow manage to board the spaceship and tell them in person. Er, ah, I expect it will have to be you.”
    Sprockets tried to say, “Yes, sir,” but all he could manage was a loud tock .
    Dr. Bailey stared at him. “Bless me, are you afraid, Sprockets?”
    â€œN-not exactly, sir. It—it’s only because I am so valuable, sir. If I were worthless, it would not matter. But I am worth double my weight in gold, and if anything happened to me your loss would be extreme.”
    â€œThen let’s get this uncertainty over with. The quicker the better.”
    â€œY-yes, sir. But I may need some help from Rivets.”
    Rivets seemed upset. “D-do I have to go with you?”
    â€œI hope not. You’re to stand by for messages. Turn on your radio.”
    â€œDidn’t know I had one,” said Rivets.
    â€œOf course you have one! The button is on the back of your head, near your learning slot.” Sprockets turned it on for him.
    â€œWhee!” said Rivets. “It tickles.”
    â€œKeep it tickling. This is a ticklish situation.”
    Sprockets was not worried about getting aboard the spaceship, which was no problem at all. Ilium merely turned on the saucer’s force field, which acted as an air lock, and opened a port. Sprockets jumped through it, and floated weightless to the side of the spaceship. As he touched, he switched on the magnets in his feet, giving them just enough power for walking. Then he moved like a fly to the viewing port where Professor Katz was standing.
    The professor recognized him on the instant, and his big bullfroggy face nearly exploded with surprise, rage, and sudden frightening determination. The professor wasted not a moment in ordering the outer door of the ship’s air lock to be opened.
    Sprockets entered. He sealed the lock from the inside, waited for the place to be filled with air and the inner door to be opened, and walked bravely into the control room to face whatever fate awaited him.
    There was very little gravity in the spaceship, and Prof. Vladimir Katz and his crew were almost floating.
    â€œWell!” began Professor Katz in his horribly fumy, croaky voice. “Well! Well! W-e-l-l! If it isn’t Barnabas Bailey’s little two-bit robot that gave me such troubles in Mexico! What brings you here, foolish one?”
    â€œSir, I have come to save your life.”
    â€œBah! You come to pry into secrets that do not concern you.”
    â€œNot at all, sir. I have come to inform you, sir, that you have made an error in navigation. You will miss Mars by five hundred and eighty-two thousand, seven hundred and twenty-three and a half miles.”
    The professor stared at him. Then he hooked his thick thumbs into his bulging belt and suddenly roared so hard with laughter that he nearly floated to the ceiling. “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! Ho-o-o! Does Barnabas Bailey think he can keep me away from Mars by such a trick?”
    â€œIt is no trick, sir. I’m an honest little robot, and it is impossible for me to twiddle with the truth. I suggest you check your computers if you want to save your skin. Good-by, sir.”
    Sprockets turned to go back into the air lock, but one of the Mongolian crewmen had closed the door and bolted it, and now stood guarding it.
    The professor’s big hand jerked Sprockets around. “You think to leave? Ha! You are my prisoner, foolish one. There is nothing wrong with my computers—but much will be wrong with you when I finish sizzling your circuits. You think I forget how you trick me in Mexico, and let Barnabas Bailey find the purple saucer? For that you will sizzle and sizzle and sizzle. I hate robots!”
    The very thought of what Professor Katz could do to his quivering circuits was almost enough to make poor Sprockets fall to his knees and beg for his life. But he realized that Rivets as well as the others would be listening; they had all