Tabby, Page 2

out of it first. He didn't try to talk to us. He justwent to his gear, turned on the generator and warmed up the radio. Hetold Honolulu what had happened as we had heard it.

  When he finished, he keyed over for an acknowledgment. The operator saidto hold on for a minute. Then he said they would _try_ to dispatch anair task force to get us off, but they couldn't be sure just when.

  While this was coming in Cleve came to his senses and listened. He wasdeadly calm now, and when Honolulu finished he grabbed the mike fromSparks, cut in the TX and asked, "Are they landing discs on themainlands?"

  The operator answered, "Sorry, that's classified."

  "For God's sake," Cleve demanded, "if you are ready to write us off youcan at least answer our questions. Are there any of the greensonsofbitches on the mainland?"

  There was another little pause, and then, "Yes."

  That was all. Sparks ran down the batteries trying to raise them againfor more answers, but no response. When the batteries went dead hechecked the generator that had kicked off. It was out of gasoline. Thedrums were on the beach. Now we were without lights, power and juice forour other radios.

  We kept alive the first few days by staying half drunk. Then Cleve'scase of whiskey gave out and we began to get hungry. Sparks and Sellersset fire to one of our straw-ticking mattresses and used it as a torchto burn their way over to the supply tent about thirty feet away. Itworked fairly well. The silky webs flashed into nothing as the flameshit them, but they wouldn't support the fire, and other webs streameddown behind the two. They had to burn another mattress to get back witha few cases of food.

  Then we dug a well under the floor of our tent. Hit water within a fewfeet. But when we cut through the screen floor it cost us sentry duty.We had to have one person awake all night long to stamp on the spidersthat slipped in around the edge of the well.

  Through all of this Cleveland has been out on his feet. He has juststood and stared out through the screen all day. We had to force him toeat. He didn't snap out of it until this morning.

  Sparks couldn't stand our radio silence any longer, so he talked Sellersinto helping him make a dash for the gas drums on the beach. They setfire to two mattresses and disappeared into the tunnel of burned websthat tangled and caved in behind them.

  When they were gone, Cleveland suddenly came out of his trance and put ahand on my shoulder. I thought for a moment he was going to jump me, buthis eyes were calm. He said, "Well, Fred, are you convinced now thatwe've been attacked?"

  I said, "It makes no sense to me at all. Why these little flies?"

  Cleve said, "They couldn't have done better so easily. They studied ourecology well. They saw that our greatest potential enemy was the insectpopulation, and the most vicious part of it was the spider. _Tabanidaeviridis_ was not sent just to plague us with horsefly bites. Tabby wassent to multiply and feed the arachnids. There are durable species inall climates. And if our botanist were still alive he could explain indetail how long our plant life can last under this spider infestation.

  "Look for yourself," he said pointing outside. "Not only are the regularpollenizing insects doomed, but the density of those webs will choke outeven wind pollinated grains."

  He stared down our shallow well hole and stamped on a small, black, flatspider that had slithered under the screening. "I suppose you realizethe spiders got the others. Down here in the tropics the big varietiescould do it by working together. Sellers and Sparks won't return. Soundslike they got through all right, but they'll be bitten so badly theywon't try to get back."

  And even as he spoke we heard one of the aircraft engines start up. Thesound was muffled as under a bed quilt.

  Cleve said, "I don't blame them. I'd rather die in the sun, too. Thebeach should be fairly clear of webs. We've got one mattress left. Whatdo you say?"

  He's standing there now holding the mattress with the ticking stickingout. I don't think one torch will get us through. But it will be worth atry for one more look at the sun.