and helmets--all the transition
mechanism worn now by us and all of Tako's forces--we drew
ourselves a very small fraction of the way toward the
Earth-world state. Enough and no more than to bring it to
most tenuous, most wraithlike visibility, so that we could
see the shadows of it and know our location in relation to
it, which was necessary to Tako's operations.

In this state, New York City was a wraith to us--and we were
shadowy, dimly visible apparitions to New York observers.
But in this slight transition, we did not wholly disconnect
with the terrain of Tako's world. There was undoubtedly--if
the term could be called scientific--a depth of field to the
solidity of these mountains. By that I mean, their
tangibility persisted for a certain distance toward other
dimensions. Perhaps it was a greater "depth of field" than
the solidity of our world possesses. As to that, I do not
know.

But I do know, since I experienced it, that as we sat now
encamped upon this ledge, the ground under us felt only a
trifle different from when we had full contact with it.
There was a lightness upon us--an abnormal feeling of
weight-loss--a feeling of indefinable abnormality to the
rocks. Yet, to observers in New York, we were faintly to be
seen, and the rocks upon which we sat were not.

There was just once after we left the carrier, toiling over the
rocks with Tako's little cortege to this vantage point on the ledge,
that Jane found an opportunity of communicating secretly with us.

"Tolla told me something about the giant projector! Something about
how it--"

She could say almost nothing but that. "The projector, Bob, if you
can only learn how it--"

Tolla was upon us, calling to attract Tako's attention, and Jane
moved away.

* * * * *

The giant projector! We had it with us now; a dozen men had
laboriously carried it up here. Not yet assembled, it stood here on
the ledge--a rectangular gray box about the size and shape of a
coffin, encased now in the mesh of transition mechanism. Tako
intended to materialize us and that box into the city when the time
came, unpack and erect the projector, and with its long range
dominate all the surrounding country.

Tolla had almost told Jane something about it! Jane was trying to
learn that secret. Or she thought we might learn it from Tako. But
of what use if