e has
some use for us and it!"

"At least we may discover what lies within it," Lur had his own share of
curiosity.

"How? The two of us can not draw that out of the water!"

"No, but we can enter into it!"

Varta fingered the folds of the hood on her shoulders. She knew what Lur
meant, the suit which had protected her in the underworld was impervious
to everything outside its surface--or to every substance its makers
knew--just as Lur's own hide made his flesh impenetrable. But the
fashioners of her suit had probably never known of the living lake and
what if she had no defense against the strange properties of the water?

She leaned back against a rock. Overhead the worlds and sun of Asti
still traveled their appointed paths. The worlds of Asti! If it was His
Will which had brought them here, then Asti's power would wrap her round
with safety. By His Will she had come out of Memphir over ways no human
of Erb had ever trod before. Could she doubt that His Protection was
with her now?

It took only a moment to make secure the webbed shoes, to pull on and
fasten the hood, to tighten the buckles of her gloves. Then she crept
forward, shuddering as the water rose about her ankles. But Lur pushed
on before her, his head disappearing fearlessly under the surface as he
crawled through the jagged opening in the ship below.

Smashed engines which had no meaning in her eyes occupied most of the
broken section of the wreck. None of the metal showed any deterioration
beyond that which had occurred at the time of the crash. Under her
exploring hands it was firm and whole.

Lur was pulling at a small door half hidden by a mass of twisted wires
and plates and, just as Varta crawled around this obstacle to join him,
the barrier gave way allowing them to squeeze through into what had once
been the living quarters of the ship.

Varta recognized seats, a table, and other bits of strictly utilitarian
furniture. But of those who had once been at home there, there remained
no trace. Lur, having given one glance to the furnishings, was prowling
about the far end of the cabin uncertainly, and now he voiced his
uneasiness.

"There is something beyond, something which once had life--"

Varta crowded up to him. To her eyes the wall seemed without line of an
opening, and yet Lur was running his broad front paws over it carefully,
now and then throwing his weight against the smooth surface.

"There is no door--" she pointed out doub