his back to her.

[Illustration]

The minutes following were interminable, horribly embarrassing. At last
she touched his shoulder. "All right, Calvin," she whispered.

One by one the others used the sand box. By the time they were through
with the unspeakably primitive ritual, she had become almost inured to
it, and considered herself to be admirably calm. There were unsuspected
resources in her nature, she thought.

"When do you suppose they feed us?" asked Watkins. He was holding his
tan briefcase under his left arm; he hadn't once laid it down. "I'm so
empty I rattle."

"Soon," said Calvin firmly, and she felt reassured.

Summersby was standing by the door-wall, his great hands working along
the seams of his trouser legs. A violent temper, held in check, thought
Mrs. Full. He was the worst of the problems facing them, except for the
unknown animals.

Even as she looked at him, the wall opened again. This time no one
jumped or shrieked, though she felt her breath hiss back over her
tongue. Watkins said, "Well, Viva, here's your pal again."

The Mexican glared. Evidently the joke was a stale one to him. "My name
is Villa, not Viva. I hope you get a good taste of that green stick, you
little man!"

"Viva Villa," said Watkins. "Lead on. You know the way."

The awful arm came in like a hairy python, groping blindly with the rod.

Summersby, standing near the opening, was the first to be touched. It
tapped him lightly, and he walked out of the room, really very bravely,
she thought. The rod discovered Adam. The boy backed up, too frightened
to put on a show of boldness. The rod slapped him impatiently, and he
yelled and darted forward into the other room. He and Summersby stood
together, staring up at something that could not be seen from inside the
prison box.

"It's electrical," said Calvin. "Like a bull prod."

"Yes, dear," she said automatically.

"We may as well go out. I don't want you shocked."

"All right, Calvin." She took his arm. Watkins had been caught and
herded out. As they stepped forward after him, she glanced sideways at
her husband. She would have liked to tell him she loved him, but it
would have been too melodramatic. She pressed his arm tightly,
affectionately. They walked out into the great hall.

* * * * *

Villa's cursory description had not prepared Calvin Full for the reality
of the huge beings.

There were three of them. They stood absolutely