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They　had　picked　up　the　idea　of　〃prisons〃　from　episodes　in　the　Life　of　Odo；　which　all　of　them　who　had　elected　to　work　on　History　were　reading。　There　were　many　obscurities　in　the　book；　and　Wide　Plains　had　nobody　who　knew　enough　history　to　explain　them；　but　by　the　time　they　got　to　Odo's　years　in　the　Fort　in　Drio；　the　concept　〃prison〃　had　bee　selfexplanatory。　And　when　a　circuit
history　teacher　came　through　the　town　he　expounded　the　subject；　with　the　reluctance　of　a　decent　adult　forced　to　explain　an　obscenity　to　children。　Yes；　he　said；　a　prison　was：

a　place　where　a　State　put　people　who　disobeyed　its　Laws。　But　why　didnt　they　just　leave　the　place？　They　couldn't　leave；　the　doors　were　locked。　Locked？　Like　the　doors　on　a　moving　truck；　so　you　don't　fall　out；　stupid！　But　what　did　they　do　inside　one　room　all　the　time？　Nothing。　There　was　nothing　to　do。　You've　seen　pictures　of　Odo　in　the　prison　cell　in　Drio；　haven't　you？　Image　of　defiant　patience；　bowed　grey　head；　clenched　hands；　motionless　in　encroaching　shadows。　Sometimes　prisoners　were　sentenced　to　work。　Sentenced？　Well；　that　means　a　judge；　a　person　given　power　by　the　Law；　ordered　them　to　do　some　kind　of　physical　labor。　Ordered　them？　What　if　they　didn't　want　to　do　it？　Well。　they　were　forced　to　do　it；　if　they　didnt　work；　they　were　beaten。　A　thrill　of　tension　went　through　the　children　listening；　eleven　and　twelveyearolds；　none　of　whom　had　ever　been　struck；　or　seen　any　person　struck；　except　in　immediate　personal　anger。

Tula　asked　the　question　that　was　in　all　their　minds：

〃You　mean；　a　lot　of　people　would　beat　up　one　person？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Why　didnt　the　others　stop　them？〃

〃The　guards　had　weapons。　The　prisoners　did　not；〃　the　teacher　said。　He　spoke　with　the　violence　of　one　forced。　to　say　the　detestable；　and　embarrassed　by　it。

The　simple　lure　of　perversity　brought　Tirin。　Shevek。　and　three　other　boys　together。　Girls　were　eliminated　from　their　pany；　they　could　not　have　said　why。　Tirin　had　found　an　ideal　prison；　under　the　west　wing　of　the　learning　center。　It　was　a　space　just　big　enough　to　hold　one　person　sitting　or　lying　down；　formed　by　three　concrete　foundation　walls　and　the　underside　of　the　floor　above；　the　foundations　being　part　of　a　concrete　form；　the　floor　of　it　was　continuous　with　the　walls；　and　a　heavy　slab　of　foamstone　siding　would　cose　it　off　pletely。　But　the　door　had　to　be　locked。　Experimenting；　they　found　that　two　props　wedged　between　a　facing　wall　and　the　slab　shut　it　with　awesome　finality。　Nobody　inside　could　get　that　door　open。

〃What　about　light？〃

〃No　light；〃　Tirin　said。　He　spoke　with　authority　about　things　like　this；　because　his　imagination　put　him　straight　into　them。　What　facts　he　had；　he　used；　but　it　was　not　fact　that　lent　him　his　certainty。　〃They　let　prisoners　sit　in　the　dark；　in　the　Fort　in　Drio。　For　years。〃

〃Air；　though；〃　Shevefc　said。　〃That　door　fits　like　a　vacuum　coupling。　It's　got　to　have　a　hole　in　it〃

〃It'll　take　hours　to　bore　through　foamstone。　Anyhow；　who's　going　to　stay　in　that　box　long　enough　to　run　out　of　air？〃

Chorus　of　volunteers　and　claimants。

Tirin　looked　at　them；　derisive。　〃You're　an　crazy。　Who　wants　to　actually　get　locked　into　a　place　like　that？　What　for？〃　Making　the　prison　had　been　his　idea；　and　it　sufficed　him；　he　never　realized　that　imagination　does　not　suffice　some　people；　they　must　get　into　the　cell；　they　must　try　to　open　the　unopenable　door。

〃I　want　to　see　what　it's　like；〃　said　Kadagv；　a　broadchested；　serious；　domineering　twelveyearold。

〃Use　your　head！〃　Tirin　jeered；　but　the　others　backed　Kadagv。　Shevek　got　a　drill　from　the　workshop；　and　they　bored　a　twocentimeter　hole　through　the　〃door〃　at　nose　height。　It　took　nearly　an　hour；　as　Tirin　had　predicted。

〃How　long　you　want　to　stay　in；　Kad？　An　hour？〃

〃Look；〃　Kadagv　said；　〃if　I'm　the　prisoner；　I　cant　decide。　I'm　not　free。　You　have　to　decide　when　to　let　me　out

〃That's　right；〃　said　Shevek。　unnerved　by　this　logic。

〃You　can't　stay　in　too　long；　Kad。　I　want　a　turn！〃　said　the　youngest　of　them；　Gibesh。　The　prisoner　deigned　no　reply。　He　entered　the　cell。　The　door　was　raised　and　set　in　place　with　a　bang；　and　the　props　wedged　against　it；　all　four　jailers　hammering　them　into　place　with　enthusiasm。　They　all　crowded　to　the　air　hole　to　see　their　prisoner；　but　since　there　was　no　light　inside　the　prison　except　from　the　air　hole；　they　saw　nothing。

〃Don't　suck　all　the　poor　fart's　air　out！〃

〃Blow　him　in　some。〃

〃Fart　him　in　somel〃

〃How　long'll　we　give　him？〃

〃An　hour。〃

〃Three　minutes。〃

〃Five　years！〃

〃It's　four　hours　till　lightsout。　That　ought　to　do！〃

〃But　I　want　a　turn！〃

〃All　right；　we'll　leave　you　in　all　night。〃

〃Well；　I　meant　tomorrow。〃

Four　hours　later　they　knocked　the　props　away　and　leased　Kadagv。　He　emerged　as　a　dominant　of　the　situation　as　when　he　had　entered；　and　said　he　was　hungry；　and　it　was　nothing；　he'd　just　slept　mostly。

〃Would　you　do　it　again？〃　Tirin　challenged　him。

〃Sure。〃

〃No；　I　want　second　turn—〃

〃Shut　up。　Gib。　Now；　Kad？　Would　you　walk　right　back　in　there　now；　without　knowing　when　we'll　let　you　out？〃

〃Sure。〃

〃Without　food？〃

〃They　fed　prisoners；〃　Shevek　said。　〃That's　what's　so　weird　about　the　whole　thing。〃

Kadagv　shrugged。　His　attitude　of　lofty　endurance　was　intolerable。

〃Look；〃　Shevek　said　to　the　two　youngest　boys；　〃go　ask　at　the　kitchen　for　leftovers；　and　pick　up　a　bottle　or　something　full　of　water；　too。〃　He　turned　to　Kadagv。　〃Well　give　you　a　whole　sack　of　stuff；　so　you　can　stay　in　that　hole　as　long　as　you　like。〃

〃As　long　as　you　like；〃　Kadagv　corrected。

〃All　right。　Get　in　there！〃　Kadagv's　selfassurance　brought　out　Tirin's　satirical；　playacting　vein。　〃You're　a　prisoner。　You　don't　talk　back。　Understand？　Turn　around。　　Put　your　hands　on　your　head。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃You　want　to　quit？〃

Kadagv　faced　him　sullenly。

〃You　can't　ask　why。　Because　if　you　do　we　can　beat　you；　and　you　have　to　just　take　it；　and　nobody　will　help　you。　Because　we　can　kick　you　in　the　balls　and　you　can't　kick　back。　Because　you　are　not　free。　Now；　do　you　want　to　go　through　with　it？〃

〃Sure。　Hit　me。〃

Tirin；　Shevek；　and　the　prisoner　stood　facing　one　another　in　a　strange；　stiff　group　around　the　lantern；　in　the　darkness；　among　the　heavy　foundation　walls　of　the　building。

Tirin　smiled　arrogantly；　luxuriously。　〃Don't　tell　me　what　to　do；　you　profiteer。　Shut　up　and　get　into　that　cell！〃　　And　as　Kadagv　turned　to　obey；　Tirin　pushed　him　straightarm　in　the　back　so　that　he　fell　sprawling。　He　gave　a　sharp　grunt　of　surprise　or　pain；　and　sat　up　nursing　a　finger　that　had　been　scraped　or　sprained　against　the　back　wall　of　the　celL　Shevek　and　Tirin　did　not　speak。　They　stood　motionless；　their　faces　without　expression；　in　their　role　as　guards。　They　were　not　playing　the　role　now；　it　was　playing　them。　The　younger　boys　returned　with　some　holum　bread；　a　melon；　and　a　bottle　of　water。　They　were　talking　as　they　came；　but　the　curious　silence　at　the　cell　got　into　them　at　once。　The　food　and　water　was　shoved　in；　the　door　raised　and　braced。　Kadagv　was　alone　in　the　dark。　The　others　gathered　around　the　lantern。　Gibesh　whispered；　〃Where'll　he　piss？〃

〃In　his　bed；〃　Tirin　replied　with　sardonic　clarity。

〃What　if　he　has　to　crap？〃　Gibesh　asked；　and　suddenly　went　off　into　a　peal　of　high　laughter。

〃What's　so　funny　about　crapping？〃

〃I　thought　—　what　if　he　cant　see　—　in　the　dark—〃　Gibesh　could　not　explain　his　humorous　fancy　fully。　They　all　began　to　laugh　without　explanation；　whooping　till　they　were　breathless。　All　were　aware　that　the　boy　locked　inside　the　cell　could　hear　them　laughing。

It　was　past　lightsout　in　the　children's　dormitory；　and　many　adults　were　already　in　bed；　though　lights　were　on　here　and　there　in　the　domiciles。　The　street　was　empty。　The　boys　careened　down　it　laughing　and　calling　to　one　another；　wild　with　the　pleasure　of　sharing　a　secret；　of　disturbing　others；　of　pounding　wickednesses。　They　woke　up　half　the　children　in　the　dormitory　with　games　of　tag　down　the　halls　and　among　the　beds。　No　adult　interfered；　the　tumult　died　down　presently。

Tirin　and　Shevek　sat　up　whispering　together　for　a　long　time　on　Tirin's　bed。　They　decided　that　Kadagv　had　asked　for　it；　and　would　get　two　full　nights　in　prison。

Their　group　met　in　the　afternoon　at　the　lumber　re