Transcriber's Note: This e-text was produced from "Astounding Stories", January, 1932. Extensive research did not reveal any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
His clutching hands closed on something small and hard.
The Seed of the Toc-Toc Birds
By Francis Flagg
Little did Prof. Reubens suspect
what his atom-tampering would set
loose upon the world.
TALBOT had been working that day, far up in the Catalinas, looking over some mining prospects for his company, and was returning to the Mountain View Hotel in Oracle when, from the mouth of an abandoned shaft some distance back of that town, he saw a strange object emerge.
"Hello," he said to Manuel, his young Mexican assistant, "what the devil can that be?"
Manuel crossed himself swiftly.
"Dios!" he exclaimed, "but it is a queer bird, señor."