"It is now ten days since the first cases of influenza appeared. The second big wave of cases is now passing its peak, the authorities believe, but we are getting thousands more cases scattered all over the city and the outlying metropolitan areas of New Westminster, Burnaby, North and West Vancouver. According to the Department of Public Health, this distribution suggests a disease of extremely high infectivity with about a five day cycle. However they also say there is no cause for alarm. Even though the number of cases is well into the hundreds of thousands, practically no deaths have been reported. What deaths there are have invariably been old people or those whose strength has been weakened by other illness." He continued for a time but said nothing new and Hallam shut him off. Pat stood up. "If you-all are going to keep your promise and clean up the dishes, I'll take a look in the viewing window and see how our pets are coming along. Then I'm going to bed." I groaned in dismay. "Now let's not make a habit of this. I hate doing dishes!" She pulled my left ear as she went by. "Do you good. You need the practice!" "All right, John," said the Chief. "I'll wash and you dry. I should have installed an automatic dishwasher in this place. Didn't think of it at the time." I'd just dried the first plate when the Intercom buzzed. I pushed the button. "Dr. Hallam! John! Can you come up right away? I think things are starting to pop." She sounded excited and a bit puzzled. The big man lifted his eyebrows and rinsed off his hands. "I guess we'd better get over there," he said, mangling my teatowel to get the water off. When we reached the viewing room we found Pat, completely engrossed, in the section which overlooked the cages containing the female ferrets. It was a one-way glass, and soundproof, as the weasel tribe are notoriously sensitive to outside disturbances. Pat pointed to one of the cages and said in an unnecessary whisper, "That ferret is sick. She seems to be in labor." "It's a good old ferret custom," I quipped. "Idiot!" She frowned impatiently. "According to her chart, she was only in the early part of pregnancy, ... not due for a long time yet. She was the first one you inoculated today." For a while longer we watched. There was no doubt about it. The ferret was aborting. I glanced at the Chief. His face was set, the normally gentle mouth was grim, the lips drawn and thin. "God Almighty," he whispered. "They wouldn't try it. And yet, what better way?" He straightened up from his seat. Even now he couldn't resist a mild joke. "When you say things are popping, young lady, I see you mean it literally." He started for the exit. "Well, it appears that the real work is beginning. I'd hope we would all get some sleep but the flu virus works too fast in these ferrets. So let's go back for some coffee and see what happens." * * * * *