But the thing that dominated the laboratory was the machine on the
long table against the wall. Its chamber, the most striking feature,
was a cube of roughly six feet, built of dull material resembling
bakelite. Wires trailed through it from the glittering plate, which
was the chamber's floor, and a curved spray-shaped projector overhead,
to an intricately constructed apparatus studded with vacuum tubes. A
small switchboard stood beside the chamber, and from it thick cables
led to the generator in the rear of the room.

"Let us return her to normal," Hagendorff rumbled after a moment or
two devoted to prodding and examining the diminutive cat. "Then for
the final experiment."

One whole wall of the cubical chamber was a hinged door, with a tier
of several peep-holes. Garth Howard swung the door open, placed the
tiny, struggling cat inside and quickly closed it again. "Right," he
said briefly, and pressed his eyes to the bottom peep-hole.

* * * * *

A switch was pulled over, and the dynamo's drone pulsed through the
room. Hagendorff's fingers rested on a large lever that jutted from
the switchboard. Slowly, he pulled it to one side.

The imprisoned cat, small as a rat, had been nervously whipping its
tail from side to side and meowing plaintively; but, as the lever
swung over, there came a change. The vacuum tubes behind the
switchboard glowed green; a bright white ray poured from the spray in
the chamber, making the metal plate below a shimmering, almost molten
thing. The animal's legs suddenly braced on it; its narrowed eyes
widened, glazing weirdly, while the tail became a stiff, bristling
ramrod. And, as a balloon swells from a strong breath, the cat's body
increased in size. It grew not in spurts, but with a smooth, flowing
rhythm: grew as easily as a flower unfolding beneath the sun.

In only a few seconds its original size was attained. Howard raised
his hand; the lever shot back and the white beam faded into
nothingness. A full sized and very angry cat tore around the inside of
the chamber.

"Normal?" Hagendorff questioned. The other nodded and prepared to open
the door.

"Wait! She always was a little undersized; I give her a few inches
more as a reward."

"Not too much," warned Garth. "She's got a nasty temper; we don't
want a wildcat prowling round here!"

The white beam flashed, the tubes glowed and almost instantly
flickered off again. When the chamber's door was