is thing so strange.

"We can get closer," Glora whispered. "But never larger--not here.
They would discover us too soon."

* * * * *

We crept forward. We reached the edge of the cushion. Its top surface
was a trifle lower than our heads--a billowing, wrinkled mass of
fabric. But I saw that the folds of it were rough enough to afford a
foothold. I thought that I could climb it. We stood erect. There was a
deep shadow along here, but it was brighter on the cushion top. We
could see over its edge; an undulating spread of surface with the
giant length of Polter stretched there. The cage was nearer to us.
Polter's great fingers fumbled with it; a door in the lattice bars
flipped open.

"Careful, my Babs!" His voice was a throaty, rumbling roar from above
us. "Careful! I do not want you to be hurt."

From the little doorway came the figure of Babs! The starlight glowed
on her long blue dress; her black hair was tumbling over her
shoulders; her face was pale, but she was unhurt.

Babs! I think that I had never loved her so much as at that moment.
Nor ever seen her so beautiful as in that miniature, standing at the
door of her golden cage, bravely facing the monstrous misshapen figure
of her captor.

We heard her small voice.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Stand quiet. Now I put my hand for you."

His monstrous hand bristled with a thatch of heavy black hair. He
brought it carefully sliding along the cushion. Babs was barely the
length of one of its finger joints. She climbed upon its palm.

"That iss right, Babs. Now I bring you--hold tight to my finger. Here,
I crook the little one. Fling your arms around it."

With a swoop his hand took her aloft and away. Then we saw her, twenty
feet or so in the air, still on his hand as he held it near his face.

"Now we haf a little talk, Babs. When we get to the island, I put you
back in your cage."

* * * * *

I had a sudden flash of realization. Something I could do. I did not
plan it. I know now my judgment was bad. I recall it struck me that
Alan would want to do it also. And, perhaps, even Glora. That would
not work. My chances, however desperate, were better alone. And Glora
and Alan--in our present size-could doubtless disembark safely. Glora
knew the lay-out of the island. She could follow Polter.

Alan and Glora were standing beside me, peering over that billowing
cushion spread toward the dis