 Why did Alis tell Don that he should order his eggs scrambled for breakfast the next morning?
Radio messages stated simply that Superior had seceded from Earth. He backed up two hundred feet, set out flares, then sped off to a telephone. Communicating by radiophone across the vast pit, they confirmed that the town undoubtedly was missing. Someone pointed out that October 31 was Halloween and that midnight was the witching hour. A National Guard officer volunteered to take a jeep down into the pit, having found a spot that seemed navigable. The Pentagon and the Atomic Energy Commission denied that they had been conducting secret experiments. One other radio message came from Superior, now airborne, on that first day. Don Cort had been dozing in what passed for the club car on the Buckeye Cannonball when the train braked to a stop. The redhead across the aisle in whom Don had taken a passing interest earlier in the evening asked, "Why did we stop?" When Don had entered the club car he'd seen her hatless head from above and noticed that the hair along the part was dark. Don hesitated, shrugged at the redhead, said, "Excuse me," and followed the conductor. Don made his way up to the locomotive and found a bigger knot of people gathered in front of the cowcatcher. There were red lanterns, both battery and electric; flashlights; road flares; and even an old red shirt. Don saw two men who must have been the engineer and the fireman talking to an old bearded gentleman wearing a civil defense helmet, a topcoat and riding boots. Don Cort and the fireman walked cautiously toward the edge while the professor ambled ahead with the familiarity of one who had been there before. Nevertheless, Don could see that it apparently was a neat, sharp edge, not one of your old ragged, random edges such as might have been caused by an explosion. He didn't have to stand on tiptoe any more than he had to sit on the edge of his seat during the exciting part of a movie, but the situation seemed to call for it. Don looked at the fireman, who had an unbelieving expression on his face, then at the bearded old man, who was smiling and nodding. "Overnight," Geneva Jervis said. Well, Professor Garet telephoned and said, 'Hector'—that's my name, "Maybe not a plane," Don said, "but a helicopter could land just about anywhere." "Judging by that satchel you're handcuffed to, I'd have thought you were a courier for the Pentagon.
 It was difficult for him to cut them with the briefcase handcuffed to himself.
 It was difficult for him to cut them with the briefcase handcuffed to himself.  They were better cooked that way in the cafeteria.  Because there were more available scrambled.  Because they were not cooked in water when they were scrambled.