handed it to the brute, who received it
dubiously, fingered it, exhibited it to the other two, and dropped it.
Calvin bent to pick it up; the goad barred his way. Two large fingers
plucked at his trousers. He felt himself flush with outrage.

"No!"

Watkins chuckled. "I'll bet you will."

"Don't make it mad," said Adam.

"I won't take my trousers off."

"If we took them off, it might soothe this monster," suggested Villa.
"Let us throw him down and take off his pants."

"Try it," said Calvin. The Mexican started toward him. Then the creature
had lifted him high in the air, peering closely at the trousers. It
tugged at them. "Ouch!" said Calvin. The beast would tear them off; the
humiliation of that would be worse than removing them himself. It might
rip them to shreds. He loosened his belt and unbuttoned and unzipped
just in time; they came off over his shoes and were held up in front of
the sunken red eyes. Calvin was set down, carefully enough, and the
garment was handed to the other monstrosities. Calvin cast a look at the
stool. He was glad his wife was not witnessing his shame.

"Nice shorts," said Villa.

Full whirled on him, angry enough to bark out an insult, even an oath,
but the man was evidently sincere in his praise.

"Thank you," he said stiffly.

His trousers were thrown to him and he shoved his feet into them and
secured them once more. He put on his jacket.

One of the beasts which had not taken an active part in the business now
walked to Mrs. Full and picked her up by the back of the waist, as
though she had been a cat, and brought her over. For one ghastly moment
Calvin thought it was going to divest her of her skirt, but after
scrutinizing her a while, it set her down among them.

He took her hand. "Are you all right, dear?"

She was amazingly calm. "I am, Calvin, I am. I don't believe they mean
us any harm, after all."

The first great animal pointed at the box, waving his prod.

"We're supposed to go in again, I guess," said Watkins.

"Let's go, then," said Adam. "No sense in getting shocked."

They trooped in, and the wall closed behind them.

IV

Adam Pierce had an idea. It had begun to grow in his mind while the
woman was running the miniature spaceship, but he had thought it over
until he was certain it wasn't so silly as to make them laugh at him.
Now he felt sure he'd hit on the truth; too many evidences for it, and
nothing much that he could see against it.

"I