st take a peep at Arcturus through this, Maskull. It may serve as
a provisional sign. It's the best I can do, unfortunately. I am not a
travelling magician.... Be very careful not to drop it. It's somewhat
heavy."

Maskull took the lens in his hand, struggled with it for a minute, and
then looked at Krag in amazement. The little object weighed at least
twenty pounds, though it was not much bigger than a crown piece.

"What stuff can this be, Krag?"

"Look through it, my good friend. That's what I gave it to you for."

Maskull held it up with difficulty, directed it toward the gleaming
Arcturus, and snatched as long and as steady a glance at the star as the
muscles of his arm would permit. What he saw was this. The star, which
to the naked eye appeared as a single yellow point of light, now became
clearly split into two bright but minute suns, the larger of which was
still yellow, while its smaller companion was a beautiful blue. But
this was not all. Apparently circulating around the yellow sun was a
comparatively small and hardly distinguishable satellite, which seemed
to shine, not by its own, but by reflected light.... Maskull lowered and
raised his arm repeatedly. The same spectacle revealed itself again and
again, but he was able to see nothing else. Then he passed back the lens
to Krag, without a word, and stood chewing his underlip.

"You take a glimpse too," scraped Krag, proffering the glass to
Nightspore.

Nightspore turned his back and began to pace up an down. Krag laughed
sardonically, and returned the lens to his pocket. "Well, Maskull, are
you satisfied?"

"Arcturus, then, is a double sun. And is that third point the planet
Tormance?"

"Our future home, Maskull."

Maskull continued to ponder. "You inquire if I am satisfied. I don't
know, Krag. It's miraculous, and that's all I can say about it.... But
I'm satisfied of one thing. There must be very wonderful astronomers at
Starkness and if you invite me to your observatory I will surely come."

"I do invite you. We set off from there."

"And you, Nightspore?" demanded Maskull.

"The journey has to be made," answered his friend in indistinct tones,
"though I don't see what will come of it."

Krag shot a penetrating glance at him. "More remarkable adventures than
this would need to be arranged before we could excite Nightspore."

"Yet he is coming."

"But not con amore. He is coming merely to bear you company."

Maskull again sought the h