"And Tork is still trying to persuade your leaders to have Frane--use me?" Nixon demanded. "Yes," Loto admitted. "That is so. You see, the drugs are so terribly important to us--" "But my father needs nothing more," Nona said. "Except perhaps, my giant, there will be blood samples--" "And a little tissue to be studied with our microscopes," Loto put in. "And secretion, perhaps, from the pituitary gland--" A grave little group of scientists, with Frane, came one day for specimens from the giant. Then they came again. Their tiny surgical instruments were like needles pricking and Nixon only laughed grimly. But would Frane succeed with his experiments? It seemed now as though Nixon's life hung on that. Then there was a day when Nona said impulsively, "My father is more sure than ever of success. But Tork refuses to believe it." "Refuses?" Nixon echoed. "Look here, what do you mean by that? I reckon there's still plenty you're not telling me, Nona." There was indeed! There was so much going on out there in the busy little Orite world that the caged giant could not see. Nona and Loto tried to explain it. "Tork is surely planning something," Loto said. "Something more than just working for the success of the drug." There had been rumors of trouble. Talk of plans that were being made by secret meetings in the night. And Tork's followers seemed increasing. More and more the rumors involved him as a leader. "Planning what?" Nixon demanded. "Is he aiming to seize your government?" Perhaps it was that. Frane himself could not believe that Tork had any sinister plans; for so many years he had trusted Tork. And Frane was absorbed with his work. An impractical old man. "So are most of our leaders," Loto said bitterly. "Too old. What you would call rusting on the job." "One thing I'm sure," Nixon said. "Whatever that fellow Tork is up to, he'd mighty well like to tack my hide to his cabin door." * * * * * The days passed. And Nixon saw himself like a monstrous dumb creature waiting to be slaughtered. There must be something that he could do to get out of here! He began planning it and as the plan evolved, the thing looked feasible, if only he could persuade Nona and the youthful Loto! He put his plan to them one evening when they came to talk to him, as they now did quite often. In the glow of the purple bars he sat with the two small figures perched on his upraised knee. "Look," Nixon said softly. "I'm not willing to go on like this. And you--you're just stalling around giving Tork and his men every chance to pull off what they're after."