“I stepped backwards, sir. That’s tantamount to declining the invitation twice.”
“Good thinking, boy. This could be dangerous.” Again, he spoke to the group. “Come now-a volunteer.”
Frank Sadwell stepped sideways, placing himself directly behind Max.
“Surely, one of you could pretend, just for a few minutes, to be a Control agent,” The Professor urged.
Pushed from behind, Max stumbled forward.
“Oh, you think you could be a Control agent, do you?” The Professor said suspiciously. “Frankly, I consider that a little suspicious. No KAOS freshman who was worth his salt would ever want to be a Control agent-not even make-believe.”
“I was pushed,” Max explained.
The Professor waggled a finger at the group. “Our volunteer has just illustrated a very important point,” he said. “Never believe anything a Control agent says. I’ve never seen it to fail. When a Control agent volunteers, every time, he’ll claim he was pushed.” He peered past Max at Frank Sadwell. “Isn’t that right, boy?”
“The dirty dogs,” Frank Sadwell replied grimly in agreement.
7
“The important thing is, now we have a victim, someone to take the part of the enemy agent,” The Professor said. He looked Max up and down. “You look a little familiar,” he said. “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”
“Yes, sir. You’ve seen me right here,” Max replied. “And, every time, you’ve taken away my dessert.”
“If you’re that kind of student, you deserve everything that’s coming to you.” He stepped to the instructor’s desk and picked up a weapon, a pistol. “This-” he began.
But at that moment a senior stepped into the room, and all of the freshmen snapped to attention, interrupting.
The senior began making the rounds with his hand out. “Sorry, sir,” he said to The Professor. “Just collecting for the Senior Fun.”
“Perfectly all right,” The Professor smiled. “Tradition is more important than education. And don’t forget my ten per cent cut.”
As soon as the senior had finished making the collection, he saluted The Professor, slipped him his ten per cent cut, then departed.
“And that concludes our lesson on weapons,” The Professor said to the class.
Frank Sadwell stepped forward. “Excuse me, sir,” he said. “But you haven’t demonstrated the weapons yet.”
The Professor looked surprised. “I haven’t? Are you sure?”
Sadwell indicated Max. “The enemy agent is still alive,” he pointed out.
“Snitch!” Max hissed.
“By Harry, you’re right,” The Professor said. “There he is, standing there, straight as a beanstalk. That couldn’t be-not if I’d demonstrated the weapons. Well… we’ll remedy that.” He picked up the pistol again. “This little item was sent to us just recently by R amp; D,” he said. “It’s an electronic pistol. And, according to R amp; D, when fired, it paralyzes the enemy by freezing his brain cells.”
There was applause from the freshmen.
“You’re out of order!” The Professor snapped. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of-a pistol that freezes a man’s brain cells!”
The freshmen booed.
“That’s better,” The Professor smiled. “We don’t want to encourage those featherheads at R amp; D. I don’t want to, anyway. That’s why I’ve modified this pistol. I took out all those little doohingies they had inside it, and I put in some good old-fashioned dependability.”
There were cheers again.
“I will now demonstrate,” The Professor said, facing toward Max. He aimed the pistol directly at him.
“Are you sure it’s harmless?” Max said worriedly.
“What kind of a weapon would it be if it were harmless?” The Professor growled. “You sound like those featherheads at R amp; D.”
“But, have you considered the consequences?” Max said. “If that pistol isn’t harmless, you may lose a freshman.”
“Our classes are too large anyway,” The Professor replied. “This is one way of whittling them down to size.” Again, he aimed the pistol.
But at that moment another senior entered the room. The freshmen snapped to attention. And Max snapped to attention and ducked.
“Excuse me, sir,” the senior said to The Professor. “Just collecting for the Senior Fun.”
“Proceed,” The Professor smiled. “On the usual terms, of course.”
“Of course, sir-your ten per cent.”
The senior began collecting. When he reached Max, Max gave him a nickel.
“Cheap!” the senior snarled.
“That’s my last cent,” Max explained.
“You won’t need money where you’re going,” The Professor said comfortingly.
The senior, having finished the collection, handed The Professor his cut, then departed.
“Now then, on to the next classroom,” The Professor said.
Once more, Frank Sadwell stepped forward. “Just a reminder, sir,” he said. “You haven’t demonstrated the weapons yet.”
The Professor scowled. “Are you-”
Frank Sadwell interrupted, pointing to Max.
“By Harry!” The Professor muttered. “Well, on with the demonstration.” He aimed the pistol squarely at Max’s head and pulled the trigger.
A boxing glove popped from the end of the barrel and caught Max right between the eyes. Max dropped to the floor.
99 rushed forward. “Max! Are you all right!” She bent down to him.
“He’s fine. Unconscious is all,” The Professor said. “Surely you don’t think I would knock him off this soon! I need him for further demonstration.” He addressed the group again. “Now that is dependability,” he said. “R amp; D can keep it’s new-fangled gadgets. When you’re up against the wily enemy, what you want is a good old-fashioned pistol that fires a boxing glove out the barrel and pops the adversary right between the eyes. Can’t beat it for dependability. The old weapons are the best weapons. Remember that!”
Aided by 99, Max sat up, regaining consciousness.
“Max! Are you all right?” 99 fretted.
Max shook his head, trying to clear it. “My brain cells are a little chilly,” he said. “But, otherwise, I feel awful.”
“On your feet, make-believe Control agent!” The Professor commanded. “This is no time to lounge. I have other weapons to demonstrate.”
“Maybe someone else would like to volunteer,” Max said, rising. “I don’t want to hog all the glory.”
The Professor turned to the group. “Would someone else like to volunteer?”
There was no response.
“Come, come,” The Professor urged. “Who else will volunteer?”
Frank Sadwell stepped forward. As he did, he gave Max a second shove.
“Well, all right,” The Professor said to Max. “If you want to hog all the glory, it’s fine by me. After all, it’s your funeral.”
“He was pushed!” 99 protested.
“That’s a serious accusation,” The Professor frowned. “Who pushed him?”
99 pointed at Frank Sadwell. “He did! I saw it!”
