they got off the expressway where the sign, flickering in the air, said: billibotton. as perhaps an indication of what might be expected, the second i was smeared, a mere blob of fainter light.

they made their way out of the car and down to the walkway below. it was early afternoon and at first glance, billibotton seemed much like the part of dahl they had left.

the air, however, had a pungent aroma and the walkway was littered with trash.

one could tell that auto-sweeps were not to be found in the neighborhood. and, although the walkway looked ordinary enough, the atmosphere was uncomfortable and as tense as a too-tightly coiled spring. perhaps it was the people. there seemed the normal number of pedestrians, but they were not like pedestrians elsewhere, seldon thought. ordinarily, in the press of business, pedestrians were self-absorbed and in the endless crowds on the endless thoroughfares of trantor, people could only survive--psychologically--by ignoring each other. eyes slid away. brains were closed off. there was an artificial privacy with each person enclosed in a velvet fog of his or her own making. or there was the ritualistic friendliness of an evening promenade in those neighborhoods that indulged in such things. but here in billibotton, there was neither friendliness nor neutral withdrawal. at least not where outsiders were concerned. every person who passed, moving in either direction, turned to stare at seldon and dors. every pair of eyes, as though attached by invisible cords to the two outsiders, followed them with ill will.

the clothing of the billibottoners tended to be smudged, old, and sometimes corn. there was a patina of ill-washed poverty over them and seldon felt uneasy at the slickness of his own new clothes.

he said, "where in billibotton does mother rittah live, do you suppose?"

"i dont know," said dors. "you brought us here, so you do the supposing. i intend to confine myself to the task of protection and i think im going to find it necessary to do just that."

seldon said, "i assumed it would only be necessary to ask the way of any passerby, but somehow im not encouraged to do so."

"i dont blame you. i dont think youll find anyone springing to your assistance."

"on the other hand, there are such things as youngsters." he indicated one with a brief gesture of one hand. a boy who looked to be about twelve--in any case young enough to lack the universal adult male mustache had come to a full halt and was staring at them.

dors said, "youre guessing that a boy that age has not yet developed the full billibottonian dislike of outsiders."

"at any rate," said seldon, "im guessing he is scarcely large enough to have developed the full billibottonian penchant for violence. i suppose he might run away and shout insults from a distance if we approach him, but i doubt hell attack us."

seldon raised his voice. "young man."

the boy took a step backward and continued to stare.

seldon said, "come here," and beckoned.

the boy said, "wa for, guy?"

"so i can ask you directions. come closer, so i dont have to shout."

the boy approached two steps closer. his face was smudged, but his eyes were bright and sharp. his sandals were of different make and there was a large patch on one leg of his trousers.

he said, "wa kind o directions?"

"were trying to find mother rittah."

the boys eyes flickered. "wa for, guy?"

"im a scholar. do you know what a scholar is?"

"ya went to school?"

"yes. didnt you?"

the boy spat to one side in contempt. "nah."

"i want advice from mother rittah--if youll take me to her."

"ya want your fortune? ya come to billibotton, guy, with your fancy clothes, so i can tell ya your fortune. all bad."

"whats your name, young man?"

"whats it to ya?"

"so we can speak in a more friendly fashion. and so you can take me to mother rittahs place. do you know where she lives?"

"maybe yes, maybe no. my names raych. whats in it for me if i take ya?"

"what would you like, raych?"

the boys eyes halted at dorss belt. raych said, "the lady got a couple o knives. gimme one and ill take ya to mother rittah."

"those are grown peoples knives, raych. youre too young."

"then i guess im too young to know where mother rittah lives." and he looked up slyly through the shaggy halt that curtained his eyes.

seldon grew uneasy. it was possible they might attract a crowd. several men had stopped already, but had then moved on when nothing of interest seemed to be taking place. if, however, the boy grew angry and lashed out at them in word or deed, people would undoubtedly gather.

he smiled and said, "can you read, raych?"

raych spat again. "nah! who wants to read?"

"can you use a computer?"

"a talking computer? sure. anyone can."

"ill tell you what, then. you take me to the nearest computer store and ill buy you a little computer all your own and software that will teach you to read. a few weeks and youll be able to read."

it seemed to seldon that the boys eyes sparkled at the thought, but--if so--they hardened at once.

"nah, knife or nothin."

"thats the point, raych. you learn to read and dont tell anyone and you can surprise people. after a while you can bet them you can read. bet them five credits. you can win a few extra credits that way and you can buy a knife of your own."

the boy hesitated. "nah! no one will bet me. no one got credits."

"if you can read, you can get a job in a knife store and you can save your wages and get a knife at a discount. how about that?"

"when ya gonna buy the talking computer?"

"right now. ill give it to you when i see mother rittah."

"you got credits?"

"i have a credit tile."

"lets see ya buy the computer."

the transaction was carried through, but when the boy reached for it, seldon shook his head and put it inside his pouch. "youve got to get me to mother rittah first, raych. are you sure you know where to find her?"

raych allowed a look of contempt to cross his face. "sure i do. ill take ya there, only ya better hand over the computer when we get there or ill get some guys i know after you and the lady, so ya better watch out."

"you dont have to threaten us," said seldon. "well take care of our end of the deal."

raych led them quickly along the walkway, past curious stares. seldon was silent during the walk and so was dors. dors was far less lost in her own thoughts, though, for she clearly remained conscious of the surrounding people at all times. she kept meeting, with a level glare, the eyes of those passersby that turned toward them. on occasion, when there were footsteps behind them, she turned to look grimly back.

and then raych stopped and said, "in here. she aint homeless, ya know."

they followed him into an apartment complex and seldon, who had had the intention of following their route with a view to retracing his steps later, was quickly lost.

he said, "how do you know your way through these alleys, raych?"

the boy shrugged. "i been loafin through them since i was a kid," he said. "besides, the apartments are numbered--where they aint broken off--and theres arrows and things. you cant get lost if you know the tricks."

raych knew the tricks, apparently, and they wandered deeper into the complex. hanging over it all was an air of total decay: disregarded debris, inhabitants slinking past in clear resentment of the outsiders invasion. unruly youngsters ran along the alleys in pursuit of some game or other. some of them yelled, "hey, get out o the way!" when their levitating ball narrowly missed dors. and finally, raych stopped before a dark scarred door on which the number 2782 glowed feebly.

"this iiiit," he said and held out his hand.

"first lets see whos inside," said seldon softly. he pushed the signal button and nothing happened.

"it dont work," said raych. "ya gotta bang. loud. she dont hear too good."

seldon pounded his fist on the door and was rewarded with the sound of movement inside. a shrill voice called out, "who wants mother rittah?"

seldon shouted, "two scholars!"

he tossed the small computer, with its small package of software attached, to raych, who snatchediit, grinned, and took off at a rapid run.

seldon then turned to face the opening door and mother rittah.