第40部分(第2/7 頁)

；　suddenly　there　were　shrimps；　too。　Just　in　time　for　dinner。　Why？　Because　Harry　doesn't　like　to　eat　squid。〃

Beth　said　nothing；　she　just　listened。

〃And　who；　as　a　child；　was　terrified　by　the　giant　squid　in　Twenty　Thousand　Leagues　Under　the　Sea？〃

〃Harry　was；〃　she　said。　〃I　remember　he　said　that。〃　Norman　went　on　in　a　rush。　〃And　when　does　Jerry　appear　on　the　screen？　When　Harry　is　present。　Not　at　other　times。　And　when　does　Jerry　answer　us　as　we　talk？　When　Harry　is　in　the　room　to　hear　what　we're　saying。　And　why　can't　Jerry　read　our　minds？　Because　Harry　can't　read　our　minds。　And　remember　how　Barnes　kept　asking　for　the　name；　and　Harry　wouldn't　ask　for　the　name？　Why？　Because　he　was　afraid　the　screen　would　say　'Harry；'　not　'Jerry。'　〃

〃And　the　crewman　。。。〃

〃Right。　The　black　crewman。　Who　shows　up　just　as　Harry　is　having　a　dream　of　being　rescued？　A　black　crewman　shows　up　to　rescue　us。〃

＇＇270＇＇　Beth　was　frowning；　thinking。　〃What　about　the　giant　squid？〃

〃Well；　in　the　middle　of　its　attack；　Harry　hit　his　head　and　was　knocked　unconscious。　Immediately　the　squid　disappeared。　It　didn't　e　back　again　until　Harry　woke　up　from　his　nap；　and　told　you　he'd　take　over。〃

〃My　God；〃　Beth　said。

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃It　explains　a　lot。〃

She　was　silent　for　a　while；　staring　at　the　message。　〃But　how　is　he　doing　it？〃

〃I　doubt　if　he　is。　At　least；　not　consciously。〃　Norman　had　been　thinking　about　this。　〃Let's　assume；〃　he　said；　〃that　something　happened　to　Harry　when　he　went　inside　the　sphere…he　acquired　some　kind　of　power　while　in　the　sphere。〃

〃Like　what？〃

〃The　power　to　make　things　happen　just　by　thinking　of　them。　The　power　to　make　his　thoughts　real。〃

Beth　frowned。　〃Make　his　thoughts　real　。。。〃

〃It's　not　so　stran