rdered. "Kincaide, lift her just
enough so we can get a good view of the river. Tipene will tell you
where to set her down."

Navigating visually, Kincaide followed the winding course of the
river, covering in a few minutes a distance it had taken the
scientists a day to navigate.

"There--there is the place," said Tipene suddenly. "Just this side of
the patch of vegetation."

"Very good. And remember what happens if you play any tricks," I
nodded grimly. "Descend to within a few yards of the ground, Mr.
Kincaide; we'll drop Tipene through the trap."

Correy hurried the prisoner away, and I ordered the trap in the bottom
of the _Ertak's_ hull to be opened.

"Now," I informed Tipene, "we'll let you down and you will establish
communication with the Aranians. Tell them you have brought back, not
tribute, but an enemy powerful enough to blast their entire city out
of existence. It will be a simple matter for you to picture what an
atomic grenade or one of the ship's rays will do. We'll arrange a
little demonstration, if they're not convinced. And tell them that if
they don't want to be wiped out, to bring Inverness and Brady to us,
unharmed, as fast as their eight long legs will manage."

"They won't do it," whined Tipene. "They were very angry over the
killing of those others. I'm just risking my life without the
possibility of gain."

"You obey my orders, or you go down and stay there," I said abruptly.
"Which?"

"I'll do as you say," he said, and the cage dropped with him swiftly.

* * * * *

As soon as he was on the ground he reached up and adjusted his menore,
peering around anxiously. For several minutes nothing happened, and
then, the length of the ship away, one of the great trap-doors flew
open. Out of it came one of the spiders, not rust-red like those we
had seen, but faded to a dirty yellow. Close behind him were two of
the rust-red Aranians, which fell in one on each side of the yellow
chap.

The first Aranian, I presumed--and rightly--was one of the old learned
members of the race. As he scuttled closer to the cowering Tipene, I
saw that, amidst the bristles which covered his head and thorax, was a
menore.

The three great spiders approached the ship warily, watching it
constantly with huge, glittering eyes. A safe distance away they
paused, and the old one fixed his attention on Tipene.

Evidently, what Tipene emanated caused the old fellow to become very
ang