There was a sound behind him, and Jonathan turned startledly.
"Shame on you," said Allavarg, coming through the broken window.
Jonathan's words dropped away in a faint gurgle.
"I'm sorry," said Richie. "Don't be dipplefit."
"It's a mess," Allavarg replied. "It's a krandoor mess!" He waved his
arm in the air over Jonathan's head. "And don't think I'm going to
forget it!" The insistent hiss of escaping gas hovered over the moving
pellet in his hand. "Jivis boy!"
Jonathan coughed suddenly. He got as far as "Now look here" and then
found that he could neither speak nor move. The gas or whatever it was
stung his eyes and burned in his throat.
"Why don't you just freeble him?" Richie asked unhappily. "You're
using up all your gladdisl! Why don't you freeble him and get me
another one?"
"Freeble, breeble," grumbled Allavarg, shoving the capsule directly
under Jonathan's nose. "Just like you youngsters, always wanting to
take the easy way out! Gundergucks don't grow on blansercots, you
know."
Jonathan felt tears start in his eyes, partly from the fumes and
partly from a growing realization that Allavarg was sacrificing
precious air for him. He tried to think. If this was gladdisl and if
this would keep a man in the state of being a Caroom, then--
"There," said Allavarg, looking unhappily at the emptied pellet. He
shook it, sniffed it and finally returned it to the container at his
side.
"I'm sorry," Richie whispered. "But he kept askin' me and askin' me."
"There, there," said Allavarg, going to the window. "Don't fret. I
know you won't do it again." He turned and looked thoughtfully at
Jonathan. He winked at Richie and then he was gone.
* * * * *
Jonathan rubbed his eyes. He could move now. He opened his mouth and
waggled his jaws. Now that the room was beginning to be cleared of the
gas, he realized that it had had a pleasant odor. He realized--
Why, it was all so simple! Remembering his sessions with Easton,
Jonathan laughed aloud. So simple! The message? _Stay away from Mars!
No room there! They said I could come back if I gave you the message,
but I have to come back alone because there's no room for more
people!_
No room? Nonsense! Jonathan reached for the phone, dialled the
Institute and asked for Dr. Stoughton. No room? On the paradise that
was Mars? Well, they'd just have to make room! They couldn't keep that
to themselves!
"Hello, Fred?" He leaned back in his chair, feeling a surge of pride
and power. Wait till they heard about this! "Just wanted to tell you I
solved the Easton thing. Just a simple case of hapsodon. You see,
Allavarg came and gave me a tressimox of gladdisl and now that I'm a
Caroom again--What? What do you mean, what's the matter? I said I'm
not a Gunderguck any more." He stared at the phone. "Why, you
spebberset moron! What's the matter with you? Don't you blikkel
English?"
From the depths of the big chair across the room, Richie giggled.
--JEAN M. JANIS
* * * * *