trange and
distorted shadows on the curving walls of the tunnel. Correy and I
herded the unwilling Tipene just ahead of us, and the five picked men
brought up the rear.

About forty feet down, the floor of the tunnel curved sharply and
leveled off; a short distance farther on a number of other level
tunnels merged with it, and the shape changed; from a tube perfectly
circular in cross-section, it became a flattened oval, perhaps half
again the height of a man, and at least three times that dimension in
width.

Our party was joined by scores of other Aranians, who darted in from
side passages; some going ahead, some closing in behind us, until the
tunnel was filled with the peculiar brittle sound of their walking.

"They don't lack for numbers," muttered Correy softly. "Think they'll
make trouble, sir?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I showed them what the ray would do; I
believe it threw a scare into the old chap. Did you tell them what we
would do if they played any tricks, Tipene?"

"Certainly; my own life is endangered, isn't it?" snapped the Zenian.

"It certainly is," I told him grimly. "And not only by the spiders, if
you make any suspicious moves."

* * * * *

We went on without further conversation, until we came to the
beginning of the cubicles Tipene had mentioned.

Each of these was closed, or could be closed, by a circular door such
as those which concealed the outer entrance to the tunnels, save that
these were swung on a side hinge. From the central passage we were
following, smaller ones branched off in all directions: to the left,
to the right; upward and downward. And all were lined with the
cubicles, from which a constantly increasing army of Aranians emerged
to accompany us.

We had gone but a short distance into the "city" when our ancient
guide paused, turning to stare down a deserted passage.

"He says," grunted Tipene--as near a grunt as the high-pitched Zenian
voice is capable of, "that they're down there. He asks that we go and
get them; he is afraid. They have killed two of the Aranians already
with their atomic pistols."

"For which I don't blame them in the least," said Correy. "I'd get as
many as I could before I let them sink their mandibles into me."

"But I thought they were hostages, and being treated as such?"

"The Aranians got tired of waiting; some of the younger ones tried to
do their own executing," explained Tipene. "The whole bro