but we could
readily comprehend, from his gestures, and from the manner in which his
features lighted up at the recognition of familiar scenes and objects,
what his sentiments in regard to them were, and, in a general way, what
part they played in the life of the planet.

He confirmed our opinion that certain of the works which we saw beneath
us were fortifications, intended for the protection of the planet
against invaders from outer space. A cunning and almost diabolical look
came into his eyes as he pointed to one of these strongholds.

His confidence and his mocking looks were not reassuring to us. He knew
what his planet was capable of, and we did not. He had seen, on the
asteroid, the extent of our power, and while its display served to
intimidate him there, yet now that he and we together were facing the
world of his birth, his fear had evidently fallen from him, and he had
the manner of one who feels that the shield of an all-powerful protector
had been extended over him.

But it could not be long now before we could ascertain, by the
irrevocable test of actual experience, whether the Martians possessed
the power to annihilate us or not.

How shall I describe our feelings as we gazed at the scene spread
beneath us? They were not quite the same as those of the discoverer of
new lands upon the earth. This was a whole new world that we had
discovered, and it was filled, as we could see, with inhabitants.

But that was not all. We had not come with peaceful intentions.

We were to make war on this new world.

Deducting our losses we had not more than 940 men left. With these we
were to undertake the conquest of a world containing we could not say
how many millions!

Our enemies, instead of being below us in the scale of intelligence
were, we had every reason to believe, greatly our superiors. They had
proved that they possessed a command over the powers of nature such as
we, up to the time when Mr. Edison made his inventions, had not even
dreamed that it was possible for us to obtain.

It was true that at present we appeared to have the advantage, both in
our electrical ships and in our means of offense. The disintegrator was
at least as powerful an engine of destruction as any that the Martians
had yet shown that they possessed. It did not seem that in that respect
they could possibly excel us.

During the brief war with the Martians upon the earth it had been
gunpowder against a mysterious force as mu