powers on the spinning
figure. He was not at all sure which one of the girls he would have
picked for Number One.

And he had, after all, given his word as a God. True, he wasn't quite a
God, only a demi-Deity. But he did feel that Dionysus might object to
his name being used in vain. A promise, he told himself sternly and
with some relief, was a promise.

After some time, Mr. Ed (Bottle) Symes began to slow perceptibly. The
whistling died as Symes began rotating about his abdominal axis at a
more and more leisurely rate. Seconds passed. Symes faced Bette ...
Millicent ... Kathy ... Judy ... Bette again ...

Forrester watched, fascinated.

Finally, Symes came to a halt. All the elaborate instructions in case
the Bottle ended up pointing between two girls had been, Forrester saw,
totally unnecessary. Symes's head was pointing at one girl, and one girl
alone.

She gave a little squeal of delight. The others began chorusing their
congratulations at once, looking no more convincing than the runners-up
in any beauty contest. Their smiles appeared to have been glued on
loosely, and their voices lacked a certain something. Possibly it was
sincerity.

"All right, that's it for now." Forrester turned to the winner. "My
congratulations," he said, wondering just what he was supposed to say.
Not finding any appropriate words, he turned back to the group of six
losers. "The rest of you girls can do me a big favor. Go get a couple of
the Myrmidons to protect you, hunt around for the nearest wine barrel
and confiscate it for me. It's been a thirsty day."

"Gee," Jayne said. "Sure we will, Lord Dionysus."

"Now take your time," Forrester said, and the losers all giggled at
once, like a trained chorus. Forrester grimaced. "Don't come back till
you find a barrel. Then we'll play the game again."

In a disappointed fashion, the six of them trooped off into the darkness
and vanished to mortal eyes. Forrester watched them go and then turned
to the winner, feeling just a little uncertain.

"Well, Kathy," he started. "I--"

She flung herself on him with the avid girlishness of a Bengal tiger.
"I have dreamed of this night since I was but a child! At last I am in
your arms! I love you! Take me! I am yours, all yours!"

"That's nice," Forrester said, taken far aback by the girl's sudden
onslaught. His immediate impulse was to unwind Kathy and set her back on
her own feet, some little distance away, after which he could start
aga