cage on the boat and played a Rolling Stones record."
"And that soothed the savage breast?"
"No," said Winnifred. "It practically drove her berserk. I told her if she misbehaved again I'd play it for a whole day." She smiled. "You couldn't have asked for a better-mannered gorgon from that moment forward."
The man laughed. "I'll keep that in mind the next time one of the krakens starts getting delusions of grandeur." He turned to Mallory. "Are you waiting to see me?"
Mallory shook his head. "Her," he said, nodding toward Winnifred.
"John Justin," said Winnifred, "I'd like to you to meet an old friend—Sam Ramar."
"Of the jungle?" asked Mallory.
"How did you know?" replied Ramar.
"A shot in the dark."
One of the gorgons suddenly began roaring.
"Watch your tongue, Mr. Mallory!" said Ramar sternly.
"What did I say?"
"One of his brothers was killed by"—Ramar lowered his voice to a whisper—"a shot in the dark."
"I apologize."
"Not to me," said Ramar. "To him."
"You're kidding, right?" said Mallory.
"Am I smiling?"
Mallory shrugged and turned to the gorgon. "I'm sorry."
"Now walk over and let him smell the back of your hand," said Ramar.
"Some other time."
"You'll never be an animal trainer at this rate," said Ramar.
"I suppose I can learn to live with that," replied Mallory. He turned to Winnifred. "Learn anything?"
"Yes, John Justin," she said. "Thank you for your help, Ramar." She began walking toward the box seats, where they couldn't be overheard.
"Well?"
"All the animals in the circus are on edge," she said.
"Why?" asked Mallory. "Are the crowds making them nervous?"
"That's the interesting part," said Winnifred. "It's not the crowds, it's not the venue, it's not even the food." She paused. "They're not getting any sleep at night."
"I heard Ramar mention something about crying?"
"That's right. Evidently almost every woman in the circus is crying her heart out every night and keeping the animals awake."
"Let me guess," said Mallory dryly. "They miss our clients."
"Yes," said Winnifred. "But here's the interesting part, John Justin: the animals haven't had a good night's sleep for the past month."
Mallory frowned. "That doesn't add up," he said. "Micro and Macro only started shrinking and growing two weeks ago, so why should all the women be crying for a month?"
"I don't know," answered Winnifred. "But once we find out, I think we'll be well on the road to cracking the case."
"Hey, fella!" said a loud voice. "Either put your damned cat on a leash or get her out of here!"
Mallory turned and found himself confronting a bald, red-faced man. "What's the problem?" he asked.
"I've got a seal and walrus act," said the man angrily. "And every time I toss one of them a fish as a reward, your cat catches it and eats it. Now they've gone on strike—no fish, no performance."
"All right, keep your shirt on," said Mallory, walking over to where Felina was crouching, waiting to spring through the air when the next fish was thrown to a seal. He grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her away, while she hissed at him and displayed her claws. "You touch me with those and I'll pull 'em out one by one!" he snapped.
"Without anesthetic?" said Felina. "What kind of fiend are you?"
"An angry one," said Mallory. "Now come with me before I really lose my temper."
He began leading her back to Winnifred when he suddenly realized that a hush had fallen across the entire area. The hustle and bustle had stopped, and he could have heard a pin drop at twenty paces. Gradually he became aware that all heads had turned to the north end of the arena, where the most beautiful woman he had ever seen was preparing to practice her bareback routine atop a chestnut centaur.
"Close your mouth, John Justin," said Winnifred. "You never know what might fly into it at a circus."
"Do you see her?" whispered an awestruck Mallory. "She makes Sophia Loren look like a boy! She's like . . . like jelly on springs!"
"Don't be vulgar," said Winnifred.
"I'm not being vulgar, I'm being honest," said Mallory. "I've never seen anything like her. She's enough to make an atheist believe in God."
"I don't think I want to hear any more of this, John Justin. I'd like to continue respecting my partner."
Mallory suddenly shook his head vigorously, as if to clear it. "Don't go disrespecting your partner too soon," he said. "I think he just solved the case."
Winnifred looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Look around you," he said. "Every man in the arena is looking at her the same way I was. Hell,