The Chief's voice was low and solemn. "Think what we've escaped,
Nat--think how close he came to getting loose on our world!"
I took the letter out and threw it on his desk. "After you read this,
Chief, you'll appreciate it a little more. The last paragraph is mine.
I picked up the letter while the boys were loading the TNT down in the
basement."
While the Chief was reading the letter I got up and looked at the map
of the United States behind him. Each of the colored pinheads had
names printed on them. Grouped around Silver Springs, Maryland, were
two pins. One was labeled "Chief." The other was labeled "Nat Brown."
I turned to the Chief. "I wish you would do one thing for me."
"I'll do anything for you."
"Instead of calling us 'Chief' and 'Nat Brown,' call us 'Excellency'
and 'Your Humble Servant.'"
The Chief chuckled. "There has never been any humor on that board, and
by God, it's high time there was." He rang the buzzer. "Mrs. Sperling,
change the 'Chief' and 'Nat Brown' pins to 'Excellency' and 'Your
Humble Servant.'"
* * * * *
Her eyes widened a bit, but the labels were changed on the spot.
When the Chief got to that part about the recommendations he read them
out loud. Then he began to pace the room.
"Nat," he said, "I'm going to see that you get some very special
recognition for the job you have done. I mean recognition from the
White House itself. Of course we can't give it any publicity--at least
not yet--but it will mean a lot more money for you."
"Thanks, Chief, I can use it."
"In your opinion, what should we do now, as our next step?" He paused.
"Or should we just do nothing?"
"I think we've got to be careful that they don't send anyone else down
here. Or maybe it is 'up' here. We've got to get messages back to his
'Excellency' every once in a while from 'Your Humble Servant.' I know
how to do it now. The launching tube is still intact in its shed.
There are ten rockets, so we can send at least ten messages. Time
plays in our favor--since they have apparently lost the ability to
reproduce themselves, they are dying out. If we can hold them off for
a long enough period, we'll be safe forever. The most important thing,
Chief, is to be sure we know it if they land any more 'humble
servants' on the earth."