Rocky nodded, busily jotting in his ubiquitous black notebook the facts just told him by the fat man. "A furry animal," he repeated, "with the netherparts of a horse and the torso of a human. Two curly black horns ... cloven hoofs ... is occasionally glimpsed in damp, woodland dells ... excellent!"
He looked up, smiling. "Very interesting, sir. You have perhaps already noted the similarity between this ... er ... thing and the 'Centaur' of Greek mythology? Amazing, isn't it, that we should find the same ... er ... legendary monster on two worlds separated by so many millions of miles? Well, we must organize an expedition to search for this creature. Now, have you any other fables to add to my little collection?"
He poised his pencil expectantly, his eyes vaguely eager and excited.
"We-e-ell, let me see--" Grossman stroked a sleek, fleshy jaw--"I heard one the other day about--Yes? What is it, Grushl?"
A Titanian had pressed open the door of the factor's private office. He glanced at the guests nervously.
"If you please, sir--the Thing-that-Grows! It has broken its--"
"_That will do!_" Grossman's voice crackled like the snap of a bulldozer's whip. He rose hastily, bowed apology to his visitors. "If you will excuse me a moment--"
He strode to the door, propelled his underling out of sight and hearing. The three guests stared after him in astonishment.
"Well!" exclaimed Lynn Graham. "Whatever came over him so quickly? Why, he turned positively pale!"
"You're telling me?" grunted Bud. "He looked like he seen his grandmother's ghost ... or his own. What did that guy say? 'Thing-that-Grows'? What would _that_ be? And what would it break?"
"Shhh!" warned Rocky. "He's coming back.... Ah, there Factor! Everything all right?"
Grossman had been gone but a few seconds, but in that time a change had come over him. His eyes were dark with ... Rocky could not tell just what. Excitement? Or fear? A thin film of perspiration overspread his cheeks, his forehead, his upper lip. He tried to put reassurance into his voice, but the effort didn't quite jell.
"Quite all right, Doctor. A little trouble with ... with a small horticultural experiment we are conducting. But I'm afraid I must ask you to leave now. I have work to do."