_Crash!_ A rack of test tubes went sailing to the floor with an
explosion of tinkling glass.
_Stop!_ Tom signaled frantically. Again Exman obeyed the order.
"It's like a mischievous kid," Bud said.
Almost as if in defiance, Exman scooted off in another direction. Then
it stopped abruptly and swiveled around, one of its antenna arms
knocking a Bunsen burner to the floor as it did so.
_Come here!_ Tom signaled. As the culprit approached, he added sternly,
_Stop where you are. And stay there until you receive further orders._
This time Exman stood patiently, awaiting the next signal. Bud got a
brush and dustpan, and the boys cleaned up the broken test tubes and
replaced the burner on its shelf.
Then Tom began feeding more complicated instructions to Exman through
the electronic brain. He guided him through a number of dancelike
movements and other drills, and got him to send out a wave of heat which
the boys could instantly feel. Tom was even able to make the robot aim
its wave energy so as to short-circuit a switch on an electrical control
panel.
Tom was both pleased and excited. "Bud," he exclaimed, "the brain reacts
as quickly as that of a highly intelligent being! Just imagine--without
any sort of decoding equipment, it can pick up and _understand_ the
radio signals I beam out to it!"
"What we need now," Tom went on, "is a simple language to get our ideas
across to Exman without having to use the electronic brain all the time.
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