"I guess Whonk means business," he said to Yith, who hung in his grasp, all five eyes goggling. "And he's a little too big for me to stop."
Whonk reappeared, alone, climbed down.
"What did you do with him?" said Retief. "Tell him you were going to—"
"We had best withdraw," said Whonk. "The killing radius of the drive is fifty yards."
"You mean—"
"The controls are set for Groaci. Long-may-he-sleep."
"It was quite a bang," said Retief. "But I guess you saw it, too."
"No, confound it," Magnan said. "When I remonstrated with Hulk, or Whelk—"
"Whonk."