His accent reminded me of Ahlma. Or Togaro! the thought came to me: was this a trap? This fellow with his white flag, was he from Togaro, masquerading here as a friend of Drake's? Then triumph swept me. Here was the drug! This fellow had it! Father was plucking at me as I bent intent over the growing figure. "Frank, do we dare let him get large?" The man was three or four inches high now. I put my face down close to him. It startled him so that he jumped backward and fell. But he picked himself up at once. I said: "Can you hear me clearly?" "Yes. Are you--is it you that are Frank Ferrule?" "Yes," I said. "You stop getting larger. Stop, you understand? Then we'll talk. Are you alone?" "Yes." He fumbled at his belt; then his hand went to his mouth. In a moment his size was unchanging. "Alone." He added, his tiny voice sounding clearly: "Yes, here all alone. They wait for me in there--a portion of the trip in there, they are waiting with the flying car." Father was whispering to me triumphantly: "He's got the drug! With that, Frank, we can do anything. But we've got to let him grow to our size. Don't you understand--let him grow large and expand the drug with him!" I had not thought of that. If this fellow were an enemy and it ended by our having to kill him, the drug he carried would be of no use to us. I stared down at his tiny figure, no longer than my finger. To a comparative giant like myself, of what use his infinitesimal quantity of the drug! We would have to let him grow large. "What's your name?" I asked him. "I am called Alt. I am sent to you from Drake. Trust me--do not kill me. I have a message for you." Father said, "If you are from Drake--did he write to us? Send something to prove who you are?" "No. That I mean--yes, he gave me a paper, but I have lost it. The journey was hard--" Suspicion rose in me. But friend or enemy, we wanted his drug. I flashed father and Foley a warning glance. It would not be dangerous to let this fellow reach our own size--provided we were alert to keep him from getting any larger than us. I said. "You're hurt. We'll dress your wounds. "You can get larger--but be sure to stop when you are the size of me, or we will kill you." He was docile enough. He said, "Very well, then I will do that." He sat down on the rock slab and we watched him with a tense silence. In a moment he was a foot long; then twice that. His growing body pushed against the rock fragment. "Move!" I said sharply, "stand up--I'll lift you to the floor." I ran my fingers over him; he seemed unarmed. I lifted him and set him on the floor at our feet. Foley moved the light to shine upon him; and stood with weapon ready. Father cautioned grimly, "You obey us--no trickery." He stood quietly eying us. High as my waist; then my shoulder. I said, "Enough! That's large enough." I whispered to Foley; and when the figure ceased enlarging Foley pounced upon him. "Give me that belt! The drug--give it up, damn you!"