"He did," Fess confirmed. "The fugitives in question, though, were scarcely dangerous. They were not criminals, but simply people who had expressed a disagreement of opinion with the party that was attempting to overthrow the government of the time. Since they were not dangerous in themselves, the miner showed no hesitation in betraying them to the assassins employed by that party."

"The coward! The poltroon!" Geoffrey cried. "Had he no fellow-feeling in him at all?"

"I suspect not. Certainly, he was not averse to attempting to collect bounty on the fugitives when the chance presented itself. Yet he did not know that he would gain a considerably greater amount than I was worth from the gentleman who purchased me from him."

Geoffrey frowned. "Dost thou say these 'fugitives' did buy thee from him?"

"Their leader did, yes."

Cordelia frowned, too. "Yet wherefore did the wealthy gentleman purchase thee from the miner?"

"Because he and his friends needed me and the burro-boat to carry them away from the assassins the miner had summoned."

"How did he know the miner had called them up?"

"I took the liberty of informing them."

"Fess!" Geoffrey stared at him, scandalized. "Thou didst betray thine owner!"

"I did," Fess said, without the slightest hesitation. "I have explained my reservations about the miner's character, children—but in only an hour's time, I had come greatly to respect the fugitives, and had realized that they were struggling to preserve liberty for all people. My program holds such liberty to be fundamental, equal in importance to my loyalty to my owner."

Geoffrey frowned. "That hath an odd sound, in light of what thou hast told us of thy program aforetime."

"It does seem anomalous," Fess admitted, "to the point that I suspect some error was made in my program, and only in mine. Nonetheless, this was the only instance in which such a conflict arose. Revealing the miner's report to the fugitives was consequently in accord with my program."

"Thou hadst learned summat more of human folk than when thou didst guide an aircar, hadst thou not?"

"Considerably more, and had come to realize as I have said, that there are qualities of goodness and badness in people."

Gregory looked up, puzzled. "Yet thou art but a robot, or so thou wouldst have us believe. How canst thou know good from bad?"

"Be mindful of my programming, children. To me, anything is 'good' if it is conducive to human life, liberty, or happiness, and anything is 'bad' if it is inimical to that life or happiness, or threatens liberty."

"Yet strong drink would thereby be 'good,' " Geoffrey said.

"I spoke of happiness, Geoffrey, not pleasure."

Geoffrey shook his head. "I ken not the difference."

"Nor did my second owner. But even acknowledging the difficulties of his situation, I could not condone his behavior.''

" 'Tis a wonder he did not scrap thee!"

"He did not have the opportunity; for the chief of the fugitives secured his own safety, and that of his friends, by the simple expedient of abandoning the miner on a small asteroid, with a sufficiency of food, water, and shelter—and a beacon to summon assistance."

"Why, how cruel!"

"Not really; there was no doubt of a rescue well before the miner's supplies ran out."

Geoffrey frowned. "Then why abandon him in so unlikely a place. Why not take him to a town?"

"Because, if they had taken him to Ceres, the authorities would have arrested them. But if they marooned him, it would take several days for the rescue to arrive, which guaranteed their being able to vacate the vicinity safely."

"Wherefore did they not slay him out of hand?" Geoffrey demanded.

"Geoffrey!" Cordelia protested.

But Fess admitted, "There was some sentiment in favor of such an action—but the fugitives' leader suggested the more humane alternative."

"Only 'suggested?' " Geoffrey questioned. "Had he no authority, then?"

"I do not know," Fess mused, "for the issue never arose. None of them contradicted him, when he spoke of action."

"Thou dost mean they did not think to disobey." Geoffrey scowled. "Is this admirable?"

"It is," said Fess, "when the commands are right."

"But thou dost tell me naught!" Geoffrey cried. "Am I to disobey, or not?"

"The issue is unclear, Fess," Gregory agreed.

"You must decide for yourselves, children, and decide each case as it arises, not seek to abdicate your power of decision by imposing an inflexible rule."

"Then give us a rule that is flexible," Magnus suggested.

"Your parents have already done so."

The children looked at each other, puzzled.

"Doth he toy with us?" Geoffrey asked.

"Nay," said Gregory, "for 'tis not in his nature."

"His nature is to be loyal to his owner," Magnus said, "and that owner is Papa."

Cordelia turned to stare at the back of Fess's head, beginning to feel angry. "Hast thou sold us, then?"

"I have not," Fess answered, "and if you consider, you will find it so. If you seek to know whether or not to obey, I can only tell you the answer I have gained by experience: 'Obey, but be true to your programming.' "

Geoffrey frowned. "What use is that to a flesh-and-blood person? What programming have we, to be true to?"

"You will have to discover that for yourself, Geoffrey;" Fess answered. "That is a part of what adolescence is for."

The children stared at him, trying to decide whether or not to be outraged.

Then Magnus smiled. "Yet thou didst not know this when thou didst first awake, didst thou?"

"I did not have subroutines for resolving conflicts between my program and the daily problems I encountered, no. But my program does allow for development of such subroutines."

"And thou didst form these subroutines by contemplation of the events of which thou hast but now told us, didst thou not?"

"That is an accurate statement, yes."

"Then thou didst have an adolescence!" Cordelia crowed.

"A period equivalent to human adolescence, yes. I am glad it pleases you to discover that, Cordelia."

"Oh, we ever seek to learn from they who have gone o'er the road before us," Magnus said airily. "From whom didst thou learn to resolve such conflicts as these, Fess?"

The robot was silent a moment, then said slowly, "I worked out my subroutines from principles contained in my basic program, Magnus. However, I did incorporate some concepts from one human being, who professed ideas that formed perfect loops, comparing present events to past events, enabling one to discern similarities and contrasts, and thereby judge the appropriate action to be taken."

"And that person was?"

"The leader of the fugitives."

"Thy third owner?" Magnus stared. "How came he to have so great an impact on thee?"

"Principally by the brilliance of his mind, Magnus—though he would have disclaimed such a statement. And the effects of his ideas were no doubt enhanced by his being the first of my owners to be a good human being."

"I can credit that, from what thou hast said." Magnus frowned. "Who was he, this chief fugitive, this paragon?"

"His name was Tod Tambourin, and he was scarcely a paragon, though certainly, at heart, a very good man."

"Tod Tambourin!" Cordelia stared, aghast. "Dost thou mean this 'Whitey the Wino' of whom thou hast but now told us? He who aided his granddaughter out of the agony of her parents' death?"

"The same," Fess confirmed.

Gregory frowned. "Yet how doth he come to be the namesake of that other 'Tod Tambourin' thou hast taught us of, in our schoolroom?"

"By the easiest of means—he was not the namesake, but the same man."

Geoffrey's mouth dropped open, flabbergasted. "That Tod Tambourin? That weakling man of pen and ink? Him whom thou dost say was the greatest poet of the Terran sphere?"