thing like this。〃 〃But we only got three here。〃
〃I saw the fourth one earlier； getting carried off stiff as a board by a sanitation robot。〃
〃Affirm； then let's go。〃
Fear lashed through Bill again。 How long before one of the bunch talked； ratted to buy a favor for himself； and told the cops that they had just sworn； in a new recruit？ He had to get out of here。 All the police now seemed to be bunched at the wienie roast； and he had to take a chance。 Sliding from the pile as silently as he could； he began to creep in the opposite direction。 If there was no exit this way he was trapped…no； mustn't think like that！ Behind him whistles shrilled again； and he knew the hunt was on。 Adrenalin poured into his bloodstream as he spurted forward； while rich； equine protein added strength to his legs and a decided canter to his gait。 Ahead was a door； and he hurled his weight against it； for an instant it stuck…then squealed open on rusty hinges。 Heedless of danger； he hurled himself down the spiral staircase； down and down； and out of another door； fleeing wildly； thinking only of escape。
Once more； with the instincts of a hunted animal； he fled downward。 He did not notice that the walls here were bolted together at places and streaked with rust； nor did he think it unusual when he had to pry open a jammed wooden doorwood on a planet that had not seen a tree in a hundred millenia！ The air was danker and foul at times； and his fearridden course took him through a stone tunnel where nameless beasts fled before him with the rattle of evil claws。 There were long stretches now doomed to eternal darkness where he had to feel his way； running his fingers along the repellent and slimy moss covered walls。 Where there were lights they glowed but dimly behind their burdens of spider webs and insect corpses。 He splashed through pools of stagnant water until； slowly； the strangeness of his surroundings penetrated； and he blinked about him。 Set into the floor beneath his feet was another door； and； still gripped by the reflex of flight； he threw it open； but it led nowhere。 Instead it gave access to a bin of some kind of granulated material； not unlike coarse sugar。 Though it might just as well be insulation。 It could be edible： he bent and picked some up between his fingers and ground it between his teeth。 No； not edible； he spat it out； though there was something very familiar about it。 Then it hit him。
It was dirt。 Earth。 Soil。 Sand。 The stuff that planets were made out of； that this planet was made out of； it was the surface of Helior； on which the incredible weight of the world…embracing city rested。 He looked up； and in that unspeakable moment was suddenly aware of that weight； all that weight； above his head； pressing down and trying to crush him。 Now he was on the bottom； rock bottom； and obsessed by galloping claustrophobia。 Giving a weak scream； he stumbled down the hallway until it ended in an immense sealed and bolted door。 There was no way out of this。 And when he looked at the blackened thickness of the door he decided that he really didn't want to go out that way either。 What nameless horrors might lurk behind a portal like this at the bottom of the world？
Then； while he watched； paralyzed； with staring eyes； the door squealed and started to swing open。 He turned to run and screamed aloud in terror as something grabbed him in an unbreakable grip。
V
Not that Bill didn't try to break the grip； but it was hopeless。 He wriggled in the skeleton…white claws that clutched him and tried futilely to pry them from his arms； all the time uttering helpless little bleats like a lamb in an eagle's talons。 Thrashing ineffectually； he was drawn backward through the mighty portal which swung shut without the agency of human hands。
〃Wele。 。 。〃 a sepulchral voice said； and Bill staggered as the restraining grasp was removed； then whirled about to face the large white robot； now immobile。 Next to the robot stood a small man in a white jacket who sported a large； bald head and a serious expression。
〃You don't have to tell me your name；〃 the small man said； 〃not unless you want to。 But I am Inspector Jeyes。 Have you e seeking sanctuary？〃
〃Are you offering it？〃 Bill asked dubiously。
〃Interesting point； most interesting。〃 Jeyes rubbed his chapped hands together with a dry； rustling sound。 〃But we shall have no theological arguments now； tempting as they are； I assure you； so I think it might be best to make a statement； yes indeed。 There is a sanctuary here…have you e to avail yourself of it？〃
Bill； now that he had recovered from his first shock； was being a little crafty； remembering all the trouble he had gotten into by opening his big wug。 〃Listen； I don't even know who you are or where I am or what kind of strings are attached to this sanctuary business。〃
〃Very proper； my mistake； I assure you； since I took you for one of the city's deplanned； though now I notice that the rags you are wearing were once a trooper's dress uniform and that the oxidized shard of pot metal on your chest is the remains of a noble decoration。 Wele to Helior； the Imperial Planet； and how is the war ing？〃
〃Fine； fine…but what's this all about？〃
〃I am Inspector Jeyes of the City Department of Sanitation。 I can see； and I sincerely hope you will pardon the indiscretion； that you are in a bit of trouble； out of uniform； your plan gone； perhaps even your ID card vanished。〃 He watched Bill's uneasy motion with shrewd； birdlike eyes。 〃But it doesn't have to be that way。 Accept sanctuary。 We will provide for you； give you a good job； a new uniform； even a new ID card。〃
〃And all I have to do is bee a garbage man！〃 Bill sneered。
〃We prefer the term G…man；〃 Inspector Jeyes answered humbly。
〃I'll think about it；〃 Bill said coldly。
〃Might I help you make up your mind？〃 the inspector asked； and pressed a button on the wall。 The portal into outer blackness squealed open once again； and the robot grabbed Bill and started to push。
〃Sanctuary！〃 Bill squealed； then pouted when the robot had released him and the door was resealed。 〃I was just going to say that anyway； you didn't have to throw your weight around。〃
〃A thousand pardons； we want you to feel happy here。 Wele to the D of S。 At the risk of embarrassment； may I ask if you will need a new ID card？ Many of our recruits like to start life afresh down here in the department； and we have a vast selection of cards to choose from。 We get everything eventually you must remember； bodies and emptied wastebaskets included； and you would be surprised at the number of cards we collect that way。 If you'll just step into this elevator 。 。 。〃
The D of S did have a lot of cards； cases and cases of them； all neatly filed and alphabetized。 In no time at all Bill had found one with a description that fitted him fairly closely； issued in the name of one Wilhelm Stuzzicadenti； and showed it to the inspector。 〃Very good； glad to have you with us； Villy 。 。 。〃
〃Just call me Bill。〃 〃。 。 。 and wele to the service； Bill； we are always undermanned down here； and you can have your pick of jobs； yes indeed； depending of course upon your talents…and your interests。 When you think of sanitation hat es to your mind？〃
〃Garbage。〃 The inspector sighed。 〃That's the usual reaction； but I had expected better of you。 Garbage is just one thing our Collection Division has to deal with； in addition there are Refuse； Waste； and Rubbish。 Then there are whole other departments； Hall Cleaning； Plumbing Repair； Research； Sewage Disposal 。 。 。 〃
〃That last one sounds real interesting。 Before I was forcefully enlisted I was taking a correspondence course in Technical Fertilizer Operating。〃 〃Why that's wonderful！ You must tell me more about it； but sit down first； get fortable。〃 He led Bill to a deep； upholstered chair； then turned away to extract two plastic cartons from a dispenser。 〃And have a cooling Alco…Jolt while you're talking。〃
〃There's not much to say。 I never finished my course； and it appears now I will never satisfy my lifelong ambition and operate fertilizer。 Maybe your Sewage Disposal department 。 。 。 ？〃
〃I'm sorry。 It is heartbreaking； since that's right down your alley too； so to