ur space charts. And
the 'X' would indicate that it is inhabited, but not by intelligent
beings. Or that there is reasonable doubt as to the nature of those
inhabiting it."

"A very good summary of the knowledge we have," nodded Inverness
approvingly. "I can add but one bit of information which may or may
not be accurate: that the sphere known as FX-31 is populated by a
ruling class decidedly unusual in type, and possessed of a degree of
intelligence which has made them virtual masters of the sphere."

"What are they like?" asked Correy. "Will they put up a fight? Are
they dangerous?"

* * * * *

"Our knowledge came from a luckless tramp liner which set down on
FX-31 in search of water, their water-producing equipment having been
damaged by carelessness. They found water, a great river of it, and
sent a party of five men to determine its fitness for human
consumption. They were snapped up before they had gone a hundred feet
from the ship--and no more men were sent out. They hovered over the
stream and drew up the water in containers devised for the purpose."

"Snapped up?" asked Correy impatiently. "By whom? Or what?"

"By spiders!" replied Inverness, his eyes shining with the fanatical
gleam of a scientist who scents something strange. "Great
spiders--perhaps not true spiders, but akin to them, from the
descriptions we have--of what is known on Earth as the trap-door
variety, but possessed of a high degree of intelligence, the power of
communication, and definitely organized."

"Organized," put in Tipene, "in the sense that they work together
instead of individually; that there are those to command and those to
obey."

"You say they are large," I commented. "How large?"

"Large enough," said Inverness grimly, "to enable one of them to
instantly overpower a strong man."

I saw Correy glance forward, where our largest disintegrator-ray tubes
were located, and his eyes lit up with the thought of battle.

"If there's anything I hate," he gritted, "it's a spider. The hairy,
crawling beasts! I'll man one of the tubes myself, just for the fun of
seeing them dissolve into nice brown dust, and--"

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Correy," said Inverness, shaking his head. "We're
going to study them--not to exterminate them. Our object is to learn
their history, their customs, their mode of communication, and their
degree of intelligence--if possible."

"Yes," grunted Brady. "If possible."