stares got my neck.

"Okay, okay," I muttered. "We _won't_ make a million."

They waited expectantly for a compatible solution. To show that I was
still working on it I started talking again.

"Let's sum up. You and Red want to get together. Which is only right,
because you literally belong to each other. Check. But you can't,
because Red's too small and you're too tall."

"Check," they said simultaneously. I stumbled on.

"Okay." I addressed Red. "Let's take you first. You are
your--uh--natural size. You are satisfied with it. You cannot be
projected up because it would distort you."

Red nodded. "I would consider it indecent."

"And anyway, you are satisfied with your element. You prefer it to
Willy's."

"Immensely more. So would Willy."

"And what is your element?" I asked.

"Willy's mind."

* * * * *

I ignored that because it led to the shakes department. I turned to
Willy. I was getting excited.

"Now, Willy. You are your natural size. You are unsatisfied with it,
because--uh--your peculiar talent is lousing up your profession. What is
more, Red's size and element is the preference manifested in your mind.
Her element is doubly preferred, then, as against your own, by both of
you, uh--"

"Making the preference unanimous," Willy suggested.

"Right," I said, pushing the thing out of my mind now that I'd stumbled
through it. I spread my arms and gave what I hoped was a confident
smile.

"There's your answer," I said.

I got blank looks.

"It's obvious!" I said to Willy. "You go to Red's element!"

Willy's meager features were perplexed, but Red caught the idea. She
jumped excitedly back on her beau's lap. "Don't you see what he means,
Willy? Draw yourself to my size!"

That is a verbatim report of what led up to Willy propping a full-length
mirror in an easel and making a twelve-and-a-half inch full-length
portrait of himself, with me drinking triple ryes while Red directed
which of Willy's features should manifest the most prominence. It was a
very good likeness of himself as he might have looked had he been the
physical Adonis his mind pictured him as, which was only right,
considering the element he was journeying to. Red insisted he wear a
bathing suit that more or less matched her own.

When he was finished, he stepped back, naturally, to admire it.

"That's terrific!" I said, clapping him on the back.

"Watch on whom you're spilling the rye," Red fl