t was raising himself
painfully into the seat of Van's car, his wounded leg suddenly very
much in the way.

"Sure they're real. But don't you realize what this thing means--this
ungodly growth that's started?"

"Why--why, no. You mean it'll keep on growing?"

"And how! Those inner stalks drop a new batch of seeds every five
minutes or so. Presto!--a flock of new plants spring up ten feet from
the first; dozens of them for every pod that drops. You know how
geometrical progression works out. They'll cover the whole
country--the whole world. Lord!"

"Man alive, this is terrible! I hadn't thought of that before. What'll
we do?"

"Yeah, that's the question: what can we do?" Van started his motor and
jerked the car to the road. "First off, we're going to get away from
here--fast!"

Bart gripped his arm as he shifted into second gear. "Look, Van!" he
babbled. "They're out of the woods already. Loose! The red snakes are
loose from their stalks. They're alive, I tell you!"

It was true. Several of the slimy red things were wriggling their way
over the macadam like great earthworms, but moving with the speed of
hurrying pedestrians. Free, and untrammeled by the roots and stems of
the mother plants, they had set forth on their own in the search for
beings of flesh and blood to destroy. Millions of their kind would
follow; billions!

In sudden panic Van stepped on the gas.

* * * * *

Fifteen minutes later, with shrieking siren, a motorcycle drew
alongside and forced them to the curb. "Where's the fire?" the
sarcastic voice of a stern-visaged officer demanded, when Van had
brought his car to a screeching stop. Seventy-five, the speedometer
had read but a moment before.

"It's life and death, officer," Van started to explain. "We must get
to the proper officials to warn the--"

"Aw, tell it to the judge! Come on now, follow me."

"But officer, there's death on its way from the hills, I tell you.
Red, creeping things that'll be here in a couple of hours--"

"Get away, from that wheel. I'll drive you in meself. You're fulla
applejack."

Bart had opened the door on his side and was limping his way around
the back of the car. This was serious. They had to get away; had to
spread the word in a way that would be believed before it was too
late. The officer was tugging at Van's arm, astonishment and black
rage showing in his weather-beaten countenance. Speeding, drunk,
resisting an offi