* * * * * "Describe it again," said Watkins. "Give me all the details you can think of." As Summersby went over what he remembered of the brown machine, Watkins tried to envisage it. A tough job, and he might not be able to handle it. To reverse a thing like that--when there'd be at least one or two principles he'd never heard of--well, that would be the job of a lifetime. "How do you know that it's the instrument that brought us here?" he asked. "It must be." Summersby looked intent, almost eager. "It has those dials that focus it almost pin-point on any planet they want; at least, I saw quite a few planets, from a distance and close up. I saw a cow and a city on Earth. Then there's the big brown box. It's hollow--the door was half open. If they bring things, living things, from other planets, they need a receiving station large enough to take 'em. The box. It's logical." "It sure is." Adam whistled. "So we're on another planet. That was plain, if we'd thought about it seriously. No place on Earth could hide a race like this. Not with all the factories they must have to produce the toys and what you saw out there." "Why couldn't we be inside the Earth?" asked Mrs. Full stridently. Watkins said, "He looked _down_ on Earth. That argues another planet." "But how did they get us here? In two days?" Watkins scratched his bristled chin and thought aloud. "It must have been instantaneous. Remember, we went through a quarantine and were healed of just about everything that was wrong with us. That must have taken a while." "The octopus was still wet," said Adam, "and the grubs and locusts were still kicking. They must focus that rig on Earth and push a button and here it is, like that. Instant transmission of matter." He smiled weakly, as though he were proud of the phrase. He looked very frightened, thought Watkins, and unhappy. Tom Watkins was scared, too, but not especially unhappy. For the first time in almost twenty years, he was free of worry about the bulls, the law. He only wished he knew what had happened to his loot. "The planet," said Cal, "whatever its name is, must have the same gravity and atmosphere as Earth. Same water, too." "That's right. So it's produced a race of critters with plenty of human characteristics," said Watkins. "Have they done this before?" asked Mrs. Full. "I mean do you think we're the first to be snatched up?" "No, I don't," said Watkins, surprised that she was talking directly to him. "People disappear all the time. Look at the famous ones: Judge Crater, Ambrose Bierce--" "Somebody mention the _Marie Celeste_," growled Summersby. * * * * * The wall began to open. "Here's the plan, quick," said Watkins. "I've got to get out and find the machine, and see if I can gimmick it so it'll work backward, send us home. The rest of you create a diversion, keep the kids' minds off me."