"Wait," said Murray, as Gloria got in, "what was that?"

"This dam' starter." She stirred her foot vigorously. "It won't work."

"No. Wait." He held out a restraining hand. A sudden gust of wind bore a dash of rain down against them and with it, from the northeast, a far-away scream, then a tapping and a heavy thud.

"Hot dog!" ejaculated Murray. "They're getting after the crowd. And at night, too."

The car jerked forward suddenly as the starter caught. "Hold it," cried Murray. "Douse those headlights." They dodged the wreck of a street car, swung round a corner and headed for First Avenue, gathering speed. Another corner, taken on two wheels in the darkness, the way to the Institute lay before them.

Suddenly a great flame of light sprang out in the sky, throwing the whole scene into sharpest relief. There was a crash of rifle-fire from window and door of the building and across the front of it one of the birds coasted past. Crash! In the street before them something like a bomb burst, vomiting pennons of fire. Gloria swung the wheel, swung it back; they had a mad glimpse of brilliantly burning flames inside one of the buildings across the street from the Institute, and then they were tumbling out of the car with rifle-fire beating all around them and the thud of dropping objects on either side.

Murray stumbled, but the door was flung open and they were jerked in, just as one of the huge bird forms flung itself down past them.

"Thank God, you're safe," said Ben Ruby's voice. "They got Dearborn and Harris and they're besieging us here." He pointed out of the window across the street, where the rapidly-gaining fire was engulfing the building.

"Did the birds do that little trick?" asked Gloria.

"I hope to tell you, sister. You ain't seen nothing yet, either. They're shedding incendiary bombs all over the shop. How about Kevitz and Farrelly?"

"Got them, too. At the Plaza—and the little Jap. Too bad; I liked that little sprout."

"I thank gracious lady for kindly expressed sentiment, but oversize avians have not yet removed me," said a voice and Gloria looked down to see Yoshio bowing at her side.

"Why, how did they come to let you off? Last I saw you were doing a headspin over Central 

 Prev. P 33/160 next