"Whew!" I said, closing my eyes and then opening them again slowly. "Say, I've been talking like a—Will you please forget everything I've said?"
The little guy grinned. "I discounted it. I've been there myself. The first time I tried it—on my way back to Mars—I put three drops in water, and I radioed on ahead to tell them that I was buying the whole fleet of Interplanetary, and to get me an option on—"
"Listen," I cut in soberly. "I will take you back to Mr. Ames, though, dinner party or not. Unless he objects because it's too potent, I'm sure he'll be interested if we demonstrate. What's a safe dose—nothing like the one I just had?"
"One drop, if it's a large room. Mild exhilaration and release from care. You had about the equivalent of two drops in water; delusions of grandeur, if you'll pardon my—"
"Sure," I grinned. We'd been walking and were almost back to the big drawing-room where Fleming Ames would be entertaining his dinner guests. "What happens if you use—not that I'm suggesting it—four or five drops?"
"Partial dissociation of personality, and with six or seven drops, you might find yourself in the body of whoever happens to be in the room with—" His voice trailed off absently and his green-tinted eyes actually popped as we stepped through the doorway.
He gulped. "You—you really meant that about—"
"The mermaids?" I laughed as he fumbled in his pocket and brought out the vial to make sure the stopper was on tight. "Sure. You needn't have discounted that, my friend!"
I led him to the glowing, plexiglass tank in the center of the room. It was a drum-like affair, about five feet high and eight in diameter; complete with bright green sea weed and a glittering red cave-like shelter of Mercurian coral.