frugal meal.

"Have you any plans for the trip up?" asked the Doctor of the Chemist
while they were eating.

"I have," interjected the Big Business Man, and the Chemist answered:

"Yes, I am sure I can make it far easier than it was for me before. I'll
tell you as we go up; the first thing is to get through the tunnels."

"I don't anticipate much difficulty in that," the Doctor said. "Do you?"

The Chemist shook his head. "No, I don't."

"But we mustn't take any chances," put in the Big Business Man quickly.
"How small do you suppose we should make ourselves?"

The Chemist looked at the tunnel opening. "About half that," he replied.

"Not at the start," said the Big Business Man. "Let's go in as large as
possible; we can get smaller when we have to."

It took them but a few minutes to finish the meal. They were all tired
from the exciting events of the day, but the Big Business Man would not
hear of their resting a moment more than was absolutely necessary.

"It won't be much of a trip up to the forests," he argued. "Once we get
well on our way and into one of the larger sizes, we can sleep safely.
But not now; it's too dangerous."

They were soon ready to start, and in a moment more all had made
themselves small enough to walk into the tunnel opening. They were, at
this time, perhaps six times the normal height of an adult Oroid. The
city of Arite, apparently much farther away now, was still visible up
against the distant horizon. As they were about to start, Lylda, with
Aura close behind her, turned to face it.

"Good-by to our own world now we must say, my sister," she said sadly.
"The land that bore us--so beautiful a world, and once so kindly. We
have been very happy here. And I cannot think it is right for me to
leave."

"Your way lies with your husband," Aura said gently. "You yourself have
said it, and it is true."

Lylda raised her arms up towards the far-away city with a gesture almost
of benediction.

"Good future to you, land that I love." Her voice trembled. "Good future
to you, for ever and ever."

The Very Young Man, standing behind them with Loto, was calling:
"They're started; come on."

With one last sorrowful glance Lylda turned slowly, and, walking with
her arm about her sister, followed the others into the depths of the
tunnel.

CHAPTER XXXVI

THE FIGHT IN THE TUNNELS

For some time this strange party of refugees from an outraged world
walked in silence. Because of