"What...!"
"The next part is more important," Toffee said.
"Next part?" Marc said dazedly. "But where is it? Where...?"
"See there?" Toffee said, and this time she pointed to the center of the clearing. "Watch."
Holding the cylinder so that the opposite end was pointed to the clearing, she pressed the switch in the other direction. Instantly the tree shot into being exactly at the spot she had indicated.
Marc stared. It was the same tree—the one that had disappeared—and yet it was subtly different. It seemed greener now, more alive.
"What happened?" he asked. "What did you do to it?"
"Molecules," Toffee said, smiling. "I broke it down into molecules, then projected it again. The machine absorbed the tree in molecules, compressed them, reconstructed the faulty or destroyed ones, eliminated all harmful matter and retained the count to reestablish it in perfect balance and health. It worked fine."
"My gosh!" Marc said.
Drawing close to him, Toffee twined her arms around his neck with knowing deliberation and drew his surprised face down close to hers.