"I just don't know," said Marshall at last.
"Unless he carries it all the time," said Lang.
"Sure," said Stevenson. "That's why he had it with him in the bank that day."
"Maybe," said Marshall. "I just don't know. You know, I don't really believe there is a machine."
"Of course there is," said Stevenson. "We've seen what it can do."
"Oh, I'm not denying the boy caused those things. But I just have the completely insane conviction that there isn't any machine." Marshall shrugged. "Ah, well, never mind. Let's go back and soothe the mother."
They soothed her, which took some doing, not because she was at all worried, but because she was so curious she could hardly sit still. But Marshall, by looking very stern and official, and by speaking in round long-syllabled sentences, finally convinced her that the welfare of the nation was absolutely dependent upon her not mentioning anything at all about this visit to Eddie, under any circumstances.
"We'll be back to talk to the boy in a day or two," Marshall told her. "In the meantime, we'd prefer him not to be forewarned."
"If you say so," she said, frowning.