At this the children looked very crestfallen.
“But, my dears,” continued Mr. Atom, “it is a very simple thing for me—with a wave of my hand and the use of a magic spell—thus—to cause you to become any size you may wish.”
Mr. Atom stretched out one hand towards the children, and with the other he beckoned to the snow, saying at the same time, “Elementi-allione!”
As the strange little person said this, the snow on either side of the children melted away, and they found themselves growing.
“Oh, how funny!” cried Coppertop, as she felt herself getting larger and larger. “Oh, Mr. Atom! However can you do it?”
“It’s a ripping feeling!” cried Tibbs. “I feel as if I could jump over a house.”
And still they continued to grow, larger and larger.
“Hallo! Where is Mr. Atom gone?” exclaimed Tibbs. “I can’t see him at all.”
“I’m here, sure enough,” said a tiny voice, which seemed to come from everywhere at once. “Only you are getting so large that you can’t see me, except with a microscope.”
And still they grew.