Wilbur was astonished. He hadn't mentioned Pete's name. When he told the old man who Pete was Merlin chuckled. "Thinks he's quite a man with the ladies, doesn't he? I'll fix him." Merlin made a pass over the glass ball and muttered a few words which Wilbur didn't catch. There was a sudden thump, clearly audible to Wilbur, and Merlin chuckled gleefully. "What happened?" Wilbur asked. "The door opened just as he was going by and he walked into the edge of it. He's got a black eye." "Good-bye," Wilbur said. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end as he moved toward the door of the room. "Come back here," Merlin commanded. "You want me to make you brave, don't you?" Wilbur's mind whirled. He had fallen into the hands of this old madman and now he didn't know how to get away. Who knew what might happen to him? He had to think of something. "What do you charge?" he asked. No matter what Merlin said Wilbur was prepared to say he didn't have that much. In no way was he prepared for Merlin's words. "Your right eye." * * * * * A cold sweat formed on Wilbur Mook's brow. His teeth chattered. Down at his little toe a tremor started and worked its way up along his spine. The roof of his mouth turned dry as dust and his throat was parched. "I haven't got it," he choked. Because he had been ready to say that he had said it automatically. Too late he realized it was the wrong answer. "Don't be a fool," Merlin told him sternly. "Wouldn't you rather be a one-eyed hero than a two-eyed coward?" "No," Wilbur said. Merlin glared at him balefully and Wilbur quailed and cringed. What sort of nightmare had he wandered into? He would gladly have given everything he owned to be back in the office. Even Pete Bellows was better than this maniac! "Could I please go, Mr. Merlin?" Wilbur begged. "I'll be late if I don't. Pete will be sore." "Tell you what I'll do," Merlin said, in a manner of one offering an added incentive. "You let me have your right eye and I'll see to it that Bellows falls down the stairs and breaks his neck." He picked up the glass ball again and Wilbur felt himself grow faint. Now he was certain that this old man was not only a maniac but a _homicidal_ maniac! "Wouldn't anything but my right eye do?" he asked plaintively. "I don't think so, but I'll look it up," Merlin said. Out of the folds of his white-starred gown he drew a book. Wetting his index finger, Merlin turned pages until he came to the one he wanted. "_Elixir of Caution_," Merlin read aloud. "One part _Fawn's Breath_, one part _Dove's Heart-Dried_, one part _Tears of Despair_, and _Right Eye of Complete Coward_. Simmer for one hour with proper incantations." "But I'm cautious enough already!" Wilbur protested. He got to his feet hopefully. "Well, I guess this has been a mistake. I'd better be running along."