> > The original problem was that processes kept accumulating due to some
> > looping of a test in one of the subprocesses of /etc/security.  Thanks
> > to the help of Jeremy Reed and Manuel Bouyer I was able to pin down the
> > offending routine to "check_rootdotfiles".
>
> Do you have the default .profile ?

BINGO!  Mystery solved, except no recollection of how or why.  Gremlins?
======
/etc/security diffs (OLD < > NEW)
======
< # $NetBSD: dot.profile,v 1.6.2.2 2000/11/01 03:15:43 tv Exp $
> #	$NetBSD: dot.profile,v 1.9.2.2 2000/02/22 22:27:30 he Exp $

With "dot.profile,v 1.9.2.2" off of a nearly identical system everything is
back to normal.  Hope this trial helps some other old newbie.  Thanks all.

henry nelson