tant giant palm with Babs standing upon
it. I gripped Alan's shoulder.

"See here, Alan," I whispered vehemently, "whatever happens, we must
follow Polter. Glora knows the way. Some chance will come. What we
want is an opportunity to get large without discovery. Then rush
Polter!"

Alan's white face turned to me. "Yes, that's what we're planning. But
George, here on this boat--"

"Of course. Can't do it here. Tell Glora, be sure and follow Polter.
Whatever happens, you think of nothing else: you won't, will you?"

"George, what--"

"We've got to make some opportunity." I was trembling inside, fearful
that Alan would be suspicious of me. Yet I had to make sure that he
and Glora would stay as close to Polter as possible.

"Yes," Alan agreed. "Listen to them."

Polter was talking to Babs. But I did not hear the words. I moved a
trifle away. Rash decision! I hardly decided anything. There was only
the vision of Babs before me; my love for her. And my desperate need
of doing something; getting to her; seeing her, being with her; having
her near my own size again as though the blessed normality of that
would rationalize and lessen her danger. If only I had been less rash!
If only back there in that tunnel I had stopped to see what it was my
foot kicked against!

* * * * *

I slid away. Alan and Glora did not notice it; they were whispering
together and gazing over the cushion at Babs. In the floor shadow I
moved some ten feet. On the undulating top of the cushion the little
golden cage stood with its lattice door open! It was only a few feet
from my face.

I fumbled at my belt for the diminishing vial. I found one pellet
left. Well, that would be enough. I was hurried. Alan might discover
me. Polter might move; put Babs back in the cage and close its door.
We might be near the island already, and the confusion, the activity
of disembarking would defeat me. A thousand things might happen.

I touched the pellet to my tongue. In a few seconds the drug action
had come and passed. The cushion top loomed well over my head. The
side was a ridged, indescribably unnatural vista of cliff-wall. The
fabric was coarse with hairy strands, dented into little ravines and
crevices. I climbed. I came panting to the pillow surface. The golden
cage was six or eight feet away and was now two feet high.

Again I touched the drug to my tongue; held it an instant. The cage
drew away; grew to a normal si