For forty-five minutes, mechanical creatures of odd and various shapes sprang at him from behind shrubbery, gripped him when he passed holes in the floor and wound themselves around his legs as he tried to swim in the pool.
His temper worsened. He stopped to look at Mavis as she swayed, laughing, on a rope above two things like mobile giant clamshells.
Mr. Milbun shook his head. "Mavis, remember, we're leaving tomorrow."
Just then, something snarled and lunged at Dan from the side. There was a flash of teeth.
Dan whirled. His fist shot out. There was a scream of machinery, then a crash and a clatter. An imitation monster with a huge jaw and giant teeth lay on its back on the floor.
Milbun let out a slow whistle. "Dismounted it. Boy!"
"A one-bite, too," breathed Mavis.
Mrs. Milbun came over and looked at Dan approvingly.
Dan had been about to apologize, but checked himself when the others smiled cheerfully and went back to what they were doing. This consisted of dodging, tricking or outrunning the various contraptions that lunged at them, chased them, tripped them, trailed, stalked and sprang out at them from nearly every place in the room.
Finally the gym began to fill up with other people. The Milbuns got ready to leave and Dan followed.