A man, identified only as the Chemist, discovers a microscopic world inside a golden ring. Soon, he becomes transfixed with a girl he observes there and determines to shrink himself down and find her. He does this by inventing two drugs, one pill to make him smaller and one pill to make him bigger. He then tells this plan to a group of friends, and asks them to safeguard the ring while he is away. Once he returns, he tells them all the story of his adventures inside the world of the ring.
The plans for the Ziegler heat ray have been stolen and are presently in the Arvanian embassy, where they are officially off-limits to the Americans. The American Secretary of War expects them to be smuggled out of the country at any moment. Arvania will then develop the weapon and, despite its postage-stamp size, become the most powerful nation on earth. The next logical step will be for it to declare war on the United States, which will lead to its downfall inside of three months!
Sunlight filtered through the windows into the sleep-compartment. Tony Rossi yawned, then opened his black eyes and sat up quickly. He tossed the covers back and slid to the warm metal floor. It looked like a nice day. The landscape outside was motionless.In the dining compartment his mother and father had finished breakfast. Their voices drifted to him as he clattered down the ramp. A disturbed murmur; he paused to listen. What were they talking about? Had he done something wrong, again?