“Giants or not, Billy Bradford?”
“Giants for sure,” replied Billy.
“Fire-eaters!” exclaimed Dr. Crandon. “Let’s go!”
“I’m ready,” said Mr. Prescott. “I’m glad that the work is so much easier for the men, but I must confess that I don’t care to watch red-hot iron shooting, almost flying around.”
“I’m ready to go,” said Billy.
“Joseph,” said Mr. Prescott, a few minutes later, “drive till you find a country road.”
That evening, as they sat together on the hotel veranda, Mr. Prescott said:
“I’ve been thinking,” then he stopped a moment to see whether Billy was listening, “how much iron has done to make the world smaller.”
Then, seeing that Billy’s eyes were opening wider and wider, he said:
“The world is so much smaller than it used to be that I sometimes wonder how much smaller it may grow.”