We had seen that episode. We saw, indeed, so many strange things which I have no space here to mention! I added: "If we had a plane we'd no more than get it into the air before we'd be struck. You know that." He paused, then reached a sudden decision. "Frank, we'll rest here. But tomorrow night I'm going to make a break for it. You stay with the girls. They can't travel much farther." He shot another glance at them. Was Dianne awake and listening to us now? I think so. I seem to recall that she stirred. But at the time we did not notice. Drake went on vehemently. "We've got to do something--get the drugs to Washington. Why, Frank, in a few days New York City will be gone." "What do you mean, make a break for it?" "You stay with the girls. Keep hidden. No use to try to travel. Get yourself food and water and dig in somewhere and wait. And I'll get out--I can do it, Frank, alone." "How?" "Get large. We'll get over by the coast. I'll make a dash for it, swimming. They won't see me until I'm large enough to put up a fight. Frank, it should have been done long ago." He was my older brother, I could not talk him out of it. And it did seem the only thing left for us to do. "You go to sleep, Frank. I'll stand guard for awhile." "You're not going to try it tonight?" I demanded, with anxious suspicion. "No." "You promise?" "Yes, of course. I'm tired as hell. Go to sleep. We'll stay here all tomorrow." Sleep came always to us the instant we relaxed. But this time, as though fate would have it so, I awakened within a few hours. "Drake?" "Yes." He was sitting beside me; the girls were still asleep. "Take your turn, Drake. I'm wide awake." He needed no urging. He rolled up near me without a word. I sat motionless. We were half outdoors; the tilting fallen roof only partially covered us. I could see the stars. I presently went outside. A starlit, moonless night, a few hours before dawn. No giants seemed in sight. A deserted, desolate, shattered countryside, wan and pitiful in the starlight. The thought flashed to me: might we not make a break for it now? No giants were near here at the moment. But we had often tried that before, and there always was a giant within sight of us when we dared get larger. I went back under the broken roof. Out of its other side, where the shattered wall had left a jagged opening, a small dark form was running. Dianne! I caught a glimpse of her golden robe beneath the flap of the dark overcoat. I stopped for nothing, but ran. Outside I called softly, "Dianne! Where are you going? Come back!" There was a dim road. She was running along it. I called again, but she did not stop, so I dashed after her. I was overtaking her at first; then her strides lengthened and she drew away from me. I gasped with horror, and fumbled at my belt. She had taken the drug; her running figure on the starlit road was growing larger! CHAPTER XXXIII