"Frannie struggled in the grip of the
blood-red, vegetable thing."
The Story Thus Far
To rescue Brett Gryce, who has been gone four years on a voyage to a distant world, his sister Frannie and his brother Martt, with Frank Elgon, go to that distant world in a space-vehicle that can travel through space and time. They find Brett, who is to be married to Leela, the daughter of Greedo the musician. The people celebrate the occasion, but while the wedding ceremonies are in progress, a giant appears in the lake, wading towards them. In the resultant confusion, and panic, they get separated. Brett and frank find Frannie (Brett's sister) and Leela, but the two girls dwindle away until they disappear from sight into smallness before the horrified gaze of the two men. They have been forced by two of the giants to swallow some of the size-changing drug. Martt and Zee (Leela's sister) find a sail-boat and go across the lake in pursuit of the giants who have captured Frannie, and Leela. They reach the city of Reaf, only to find that the giants have carried Frannie and Leela up into largeness unfathomable to their own world. At Reaf, a loathsome, whimpering, luminous beast that babbles human word and has its eye on a long stalk instead of a head, blunders into Martt. He attacks it, and the snoring of the giant left on guard in Reaf warns him of still more serious danger. The hideous, whimpering beast poises itself for a spring, and leaps upon Martt.
CHAPTER 4
THE WILD NIGHT RIDE
FRANNIE forced her way out of the crowded arcade, with its struggling, panic-stricken occupants. She was confused, terrified. Separated from me, and then from Martt, her only idea was to find us again; or find Brett. Outside the arcade she turned aimlessly to where the crowd momentarily was least dense. Panic-stricken people—all strangers. Then she saw Leela in the shadow of a doorway of the arcade, and ran to her.
"Leela! What is it? What has happened?"
People around them were shouting. Leela said, "Giants. There is a giant
