The man's beard looked straggly, untrimmed.
"My name," he said, "is Reubens — Professor Reubens."
Professor Reubens! Talbot gasped. "Not the scientist who disappeared?"
"Yes — as you've disappeared."
"What!"
"Through the machine."
It was a moment before Talbot understood. "You mean…."
"That you are a prisoner in a sub-atomic world."
Talbot now realized with startling clearness what had happened to him. When he had fallen into the crypt the weird birds had directly placed him in the cabinet and transported him to their own world. In other words, he and Reubens and everything he saw about him were infinitely small creatures in an atom-world. He and the Professor were trapped! And when Manuel blew up the only means of return….
"How long have I been here?" Talbot asked hoarsely.