Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine Read Free Page A

kids,” she said. “The cookies are on the kitchen table. Mr. Bullfinch, here are your shirts, all ironed. For goodness’ sake, now, don’t throw them into your suitcase carelessly. You aren’t usually so absent-minded. Just don’t get excited.”
    â€œNo, Mrs. Dunn. I won’t.”
    â€œI’m going to put your papers in the briefcase.”
    â€œThank you, thank you, Mrs. Dunn.” The Professor mopped his face thoughtlessly with one of the clean shirts. “I’ll try to sort them out on the train.”
    â€œOh, dear,” sighed Mrs. Dunn. “Look at those stairs.”
    â€œEh? What’s wrong with them?”
    â€œThere’s nothing wrong with the stairs—except that no one can get past your toothbrush and your comb and your razor and these socks… Will we ever get you together?”
    â€œWhat’s happening?” Danny asked. “Where are you going?”
    â€œTo Washington,” answered the Professor. “I just received a wire from my old friend, Dr. Grimes. He has arranged a series of meetings which he wants me to attend with the representatives of several national bureaus. We are going to discuss work on a nonstop, round-the-world weather rocket, with particular attention to using my new computer.
    â€œAnd that reminds me,” he added. “I want you to come into the lab with me, Dan. There’s something very important I have to tell you.”
    CHAPTER FOUR
    Meet Miniac
    Professor Bullfinch’s laboratory was a long, low structure at the rear of the house, reached by a short hallway. It was crowded and cluttered with equipment, but at one end a large space was clear. Here, there was a curved desk on which were a typewriter and a microphone. A high panel at the back of the desk was filled with tiny light bulbs. There were a number of flat, square buttons, each with a colored panel above it. And beyond the desk was an oblong, gray metal cabinet, about the size of a large sideboard, with heavy electric cables leading to it.
    â€œDanny,” said the Professor gravely, dropping his shirts on a chair, “I have decided to give you a big job. I’m sure you can do it. I’m going to leave Miniac in your care.”
    â€œWhat?” cried Joe. “You’re going to leave a maniac in his care? He’s not old enough.”
    â€œMiniac, Joe,” Danny said. “It’s the Professor’s new computer.” He pointed to the desk and cabinet. “The first midget giant brain.”
    Professor Bullfinch blinked, mildly. “Midget giant?” he said. “That’s a little confusing, Dan. Let’s just say it’s the world’s smallest automatic computer.”
    â€œAnd you call it Miniac?” Irene asked, with interest.
    â€œShort for ‘miniature automatic computer,’” Danny explained. “Gosh! it’s exciting. The Professor finished work on it yesterday. You know, scientists have been trying to make these electronic brains smaller. The Professor has invented a new type of tiny switch and a narrower magnetic tape. Those made it possible for him to build a computer as small as this.”
    â€œIt doesn’t look so small,” Joe remarked.
    â€œDr. Aiken’s Mark I computer, at Harvard, the first of the so-called giant brains, filled a whole room,” said the Professor.
    Joe was eyeing the machine in fascination. “So that’s one of those mechanical brains,” he said. “Is it thinking now?”
    â€œNo, Joe,” said the Professor. “It only thinks when we ask it questions.”
    â€œYou mean you can talk to it?”
    â€œYes, that is one of my improvements. You speak into the microphone, there on the desk, and it types its answers on this electric typewriter.”
    â€œKind of spooky, isn’t it?” said Joe, in awe. “I wonder what would happen if you sang into the microphone? Would it type