f going and getting them; anyhow, Brand was left free to wield
his bar and continue crushing out the lives of the two-legged vermin
that attacked him.

With almost a shock of surprise, he saw finally that he had battered
their number down to three. At that he took the offensive himself. He
rammed the bluntly pointed end of the bar almost through one writhing
torso, broke the back of a second with a whistling blow, and tripped
and exterminated the third almost in as many seconds. The creatures,
without their death-tubes, were as helpless as crippled rats!

Panting, he turned again toward the loosened glass bell, and battered
at it with the precious bar. Gradually the bolts that held it to the
stone slab were wrenched out, till only one supported it. But at this
point, from half a dozen set-back doorways, streams of infuriated
Rogans began pouring into the building and toward him.

The one that had fled had come back with help.

CHAPTER VIII

_Tremendous Odds_

Like living spokes of a half-wheel, with the Earthman as the hub, the
Rogans converged toward Brand, a howling roar outside indicating that
there were hundreds more waiting to jam into the dome as soon as they
were able. There were still no shock-tubes in evidence: evidently the
worker who had gone for help had gathered the first Rogan citizens he
had encountered on the streets. But the very numbers of the mob
spelled defeat for Brand.

However, there was still the great lever behind him to yank away from
its switch-socket. The glass bell was almost off now. With a last mad
blow, he knocked loose the remaining bolt that held it. The bell
clattered to the floor.

A concerted shriek came from the crowding Rogans as they saw the
Earthman's hand close on the lever. Whatever effect the throwing of
that master-switch could have, there was no doubt that they were
extremely anxious to prevent it!

And now, in the rear of the crowding columns, appeared Rogans taller
than the others, with an authoritative air, who waved before them,
eager to unleash their power, batteries of the death-tubes.

Resigning himself to annihilation in the next instant, Brand pulled
down hard on the lever.

* * * * *

The effect wrought by the throwing of that great switch was almost
indescribable.

In a flash, as though all had been struck at once by a giant's hand,
every Rogan in the mob shot toward the floor, long thin legs caving
under hi