"I didn't!" Higgins protested. "He's got it all mixed up!"
"It has to be true," Babs told him. She was calmly angry. "We'll go back to the house now, Higgins. We'll soon see why you—"
"Oh no we won't!" In a panic Higgins had suddenly gripped her shoulders. "I don't know what he's talkin' about. It's all crazy talk! Crazy—"
"Higgins, take your hands off me. How dare you?"
"You think I'm lettin' a crazy machine say things about me? I'm tellin' you—"
"Take your hands off me, Higgins."
Now the struggling Babs was frightened. It sent a horrible jangle through Toory. There was something wrong, and Miss Babs was frightened about it. Suddenly he saw that she was trying to scream and Higgins in a panic had put his hand over her mouth.
Within Toory the jangling confusion grew worse, as if some horrible corroding acid burned at him. He had a permanent-order always to avoid danger to Miss Babs. Wasn't she in danger now? It was so terribly hard, trying to puzzle things out, without training-memory or an order. He could feel the jangle mounting to a bursting tumult. If only he could think for himself, act for himself, without any orders.
He heard himself saying, "I want to hold your hand, and lead you, Miss Babs."
The words so startled the two humans in front of him that they ceased to struggle. It was as though Model 2 RY suddenly had crossed a great abyss, and it was terrifying.