get this?" He hefted the
limp Full.

Calvin writhed and managed to move his hands up and down.

"He's gaining," said Watkins, coming back.

"Those rods pack a wallop," said Adam. "What sort of power can they have
in 'em? Seems to me they're away beyond our science."

"They're not hitched to batteries," said Watkins. "Say, look at all this
machinery. If these animals built it, they're a pretty advanced race."

* * * * *

Mrs. Full was seated now on a large thing like a chrome-and-rubber
chair, one of those modern abominations which she and Calvin so
cordially detested. He could not see her face. The twelve-foot brute was
moving its fingers before her, evidently telling her to do something.
Calvin heard her say plaintively, "But what _is_ it?"

Summersby hoisted him up and about then feeling began to come back to
him with a sharp, unpleasant tingling of the skin. He said, "Help her!"
quite distinctly.

"Nothing's happening to her," said Watkins. "Take it easy."

Mrs. Full was apparently pulling levers and moving blocks of vividly
colored material back and forth on rods; like an abacus, thought her
husband.

Suddenly one of the other pair of creatures gave a cry, "Brrm hmmr!" and
pointed to the left. From a muddle of gear rose a small airship, orange,
with a nose like a spaceship and streamlined fins, and a square box on
its tail. It made no noise, but rose straight toward the ceiling, moving
slowly, jerkily.

His wife had her back to it. He heard her give an exasperated,
bewildered cry. "What on earth ... what are you _doing_?" She spoke to
the creature as if it understood. "I don't see why you--"

Calvin pushed free of Summersby. He could stand now, shakily. The beast
indicated a blue block on a vertical bar; Mrs. Full moved it down, the
airship halted and began to sail toward them. "Do you see the toy ship?"
called Calvin. "You're flying the ship!"

"Oh, my," she said helplessly. "What shall I do now?"

"This is crazy," said Watkins. "Absolutely crazy."

"Go on moving things," Calvin called to his wife. "Experiment. It wants
you to fly it." It occurred to him that this was too obvious to bother
stating. He must be distracted by weakness. He rubbed his tingling arms
and hands, hoping she wouldn't crash the ship. Villa and Adam Pierce
were calling encouragement to her as the orange thing drifted up and
down and sideways.

Now the twelve-foot being gestured briefly at a p