What of my son?" asked Redwood.

He's all right," said Cossar. "They've hurt nothing serious in him."

And your lads?"

Well. All of them, well. But we've had to make a fight for it."

The Giant was saying something to the motor driver. Redwood stood aside

as the machine wheeled round, and then suddenly Cossar vanished,

everything vanished, and he was in absolute darkness for a space. The

glare was following the motor back to the crest of the Keston hill. He

watched the little conveyance receding in that white halo. It had a

curious effect, as though it was not moving at all and the halo was. A

group of war-blasted Giant elders flashed into gaunt scarred

gesticulations and were swallowed again by the night ... Redwood turned

to Cossar's dim outline again and clasped his hand. "I have been shut up

and kept in ignorance," he said, "for two whole days."

We fired the Food at them," said Cossar. "Obviously! Thirty shots. Eh!"

I come from Caterham."

I know you do." He laughed with a note of bitterness. "I suppose he's

wiping it up."

340

The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth