out. I want to talk with you in normal size
when I haf time."

Our room swooped as he stood up. "You think over what I haf said, Kent.
You get ready now to make the fresh drugs I will need to bring down all
my men from the outer world. They will all be glad to come, or, if
not--well, we can easily kill those who refuse. You make the drugs. I
need plenty. Will you?"

"Yes."

"That iss good. I come back soon and gif you the catalyst for that last
reaction. Will you be ready?"

"Yes."

The blur outside our bars swung with a dizzying whirl as Polter turned
and left the room, locking its door after him with a reverberating
clank.

* * * * *

Left alone in his laboratory, Dr. Kent began his preparations for
making a fresh supply of the drugs. This room, with two smaller ones
adjoining, was at once his workshop and his prison. He stood at his
shelves, selecting the basic chemicals. He could not complete the final
compounds. The catalyst which was necessary for the final reaction would
be brought to him by Polter.

How long he worked there with his thoughts in a whirl at seeing Babs, he
did not know. His movements were automatic; he had done all this so many
times before. His mind was confused, and he was trembling from head to
foot--an old, queerly, unnaturally old man now--unnerved. His fingers
could hardly hold the test tubes.

His thoughts were flying. Babs was here, come down from the world above.
It was disaster--the thing he had feared all these years.

He suddenly heard a voice.

"Father!"

And again: "Father!" A tiny voice, down by his shoe tops. Two small
figures were there on the floor beside him. They were both panting,
winded by running. They were enlarging.

It was Alan and Glora, who had followed Polter from the boat, then
diminished again and had come running through the tiny crack under the
metal door of the laboratory.

They grew to a foot in size, down by Dr. Kent's legs. He was too
unnerved to stand; he sat in a chair while Alan swiftly told him what
had happened. Babs was in the golden cage. Dr. Kent knew that; but none
of them knew what had happened to me.

"We must make you small, Father. We have the drugs, here with us."

"Yes! How much have you? Show me. Oh, my boy, that you are here--and
Babs--"

"Don't you worry. We'll get away from him."

Glora and Alan had almost reached Dr. Kent's size before their excited
fingers could get out the vials. The