At that moment, Multhaus came around the corner, and Mike could see Snookums scurrying on down the corridor toward the approaching Powerman’s Mate.
“Multhaus! Look out!” Mike yelled.
The beam from the chief’s hand torch gleamed on the metallic body of the little robot as it headed toward him.
“Snookums! Stop!” Mike ordered.
Snookums paid no attention. He swerved adroitly around the astonished Multhaus, spun around the corner, and was gone into the darkness.
“What was all that, sir?” Multhaus asked, looking more than somewhat confused.
“A course of instruction on the First and Second Laws of Robotics as applied by the Computer Corporation of Earth,” said Mike, rubbing his bruised side. “But never mind that now. What’s wrong with the low-power circuits?”
“I don’t know, sir. Breckwell is on duty in that section.”
“Let’s go,” said Mike the Angel. “We have to get this cleared up before we all suffocate.”
“Someone’s going to get galloping claustrophobia before it’s over, anyway,” said Multhaus morosely as he followed Mike down the hallway in the direction from which Snookums had come. “Darkness and stuffy air touch off that sort of thing.”