"Not that kind of Time, sugar-plum." Hank visioned forgiveness in her aroused interest. He sprang to her side, pointed at the various dials and gadgets. "This takes you to the past, so you can watch history being made. Or into the future--" Helen, being a woman, had no time for nonsense like that. She got right down to fundamentals. "It's not streamlined," she said. "I don't like the color, and the dashboard isn't pretty. Where's the cigarette-lighter? And those seats don't look very comfortable--" And she climbed into the front seat. Hank said, "Now, Helen, don't git in there yet! It ain't quite finished, an'--" She ignored him with magnificent aplomb. "I'm glad _one_ of us has good common-sense," she said. "If you're going to be an inventor, someone has to keep an eye on you to make sure your inventions are practical. "Just as I thought! These cushions aren't at all comfortable. They're not wide enough, either. Get in here, Jim. Beside me--that's right! And you, too, Hank. Now do you see what I mean? These seats should be lots wider--" Hank said nervously. "All right, sweety-pie. Now let's go see a nice movie or--" "And what," continued Helen blandly, "is this tiny key for? A glove compartment? Let me see inside--" Hank stiffened like a strychnine victim. His eyes bulged, and his voice exploded in a sudden roar. "_Don't touch that! Helen, don't--!_" He spoke a split second too late. Already the key was turning. Freezing in my chair, I heard a thin, whining hum from the time-machine's motors. The framework shook, and I was suddenly aware that where about us, a moment before, we had seen a brightly illumined bedroom, now there was nothing but flickering mists of gray ... wavering ... bottomless ... formless.... "Dagnab it!" cried Hank. "Oh, dagnab it to blazes! Now you've went an' did it!" * * * * * He reached across the terrified girl, snapped over the key. Instantly the flickering ceased ... the gray, bottomless mists dissipated ... the illumination returned. We were once again back in the bedroom, sitting in the time-machine. But--there was a startling difference. Standing beside us, staring at us with eyes huge as moons and mouths incredulously agape, were three people. And those three people were-- Helen MacDowell ... Horsesense Hank ... and myself! CHAPTER III The Whacky Worlds of Maybe I was the first to break the horrified silence, and I hereby claim the all-time, All-American and world's record for silence-shattering--because _two_ of me broke it at once! I wailed, "_Omigawd!_" Then started like a bishop in a burleyque as I heard my own voice wailing, "_Omigawd!_"--and saw myself whirl and make a bee-line for the door.