e the roof coming down on us.

"The two ray operators and myself will try to open a way, backed up by
Inverness and Brady. Understand, everybody?" The men took the places I
had indicated, nodding, and we stood at the mouth of the side tunnel,
facing the main passage which intersected it at a right angle. The
mouth of the passage was blocked by a crowded mass of the spider
creatures, evidently eager to pounce on us, but afraid to start an
action in those narrow quarters.

As we came toward them, the Aranians packed about the entrance gave
way grudgingly, all save two or three. Without an instant's
hesitation, I lifted my pistol and slashed them into jerking pulp.

"Hold the ray," I ordered the two men by my side, "until we need it.
They'll get a surprise when it goes into action."

* * * * *

We needed it the moment we turned into the main corridor, for here the
passage was broad, and in order to prevent the creatures from flanking
us, we had to spread our front and rear guards until they were no more
than two thin lines.

Seeing their advantage, the Aranians rushed us. At a word from me, the
ray operators went into action, and I did what I could with my
comparatively ineffective pistol. Between us, we swept the passage
clean as far as we could see--which was not far, for the reddish dust
of disintegration hung in the quiet air, and the light of our _ethon_
lamps could not pierce it.

For a moment I thought we would have clear sailing; Correy and his men
were doing fine work behind us, and our ray was sweeping everything
before us.

Then we came to the first of the intersecting passages, and a
clattering horde of Aranians leaped out at us. The ray operators
stopped them, but another passage on the opposite side was spewing out
more than I could handle with my pistol.

Two of the hairy creatures were fairly upon me before the ray swung to
that side and dissolved them into dust. For an instant the party
stopped, checked by these unexpected flank attacks.

And there would be more of these sallies from the hundreds of passages
which opened off the main corridor; I had no doubt of that. And there
the creatures had us: our deadly ray could not reach them out ahead;
we must wait until we were abreast, and then the single ray could work
upon but one side. Correy needed every man he had to protect our rear,
and my pistol was not adequate against a rush at such close quarters.
That fact