n there.

"Toma annerson!" he muttered. "Ah, toma annerson!" The words were like
a prayer.

"Just a minute, Artur!" I said sharply. "What weapons have they? And
what means of travel?"

He turned with a hopeless gesture.

"They have the weapons we have," he said. "Spears and knives and short
spears shot from bows. And for travel they have vast numbers of
monocars they have stolen from us, generation after generation."

"Monocars?" I asked, startled.

"Yes. He Who Speaks gave us that secret. Ah, He was wise; to hear His
voice was to feel in touch with all the wisdom of all the air!" He made
a gesture as though to include the whole universe.

* * * * *

There were a score of questions in my mind, but there was no time for
them then. I snatched my menore from its clip on my belt, and adjusted
it quickly. It was a huge and cumbersome thing, the menore of that day,
but it worked as well as the fragile, bejeweled things of today. Maybe
better. The guard posted outside the ship responded instantly.

"Commander Hanson emanating," I shot at him. "Present my compliments to
Mr. Correy, and instruct him as follows: He is to withdraw the outside
guard instantly, and proceed with the _Ertak_ to the large domed
building in the center of the city. He will bring the _Ertak_ to rest
at the lowest possible altitude above the building, and receive further
orders at that time. Repeat these instructions."

The guard returned the orders almost word for word, and I removed the
menore with a little flourish. Oh, I was young enough in those days!

"Don't worry any more, Artur," I said crisply. "I don't know who _He_
was, but we'll show you some tricks you haven't seen yet! Come!"

I led the way down the ramp, Hendricks, Artur, and the three Zenians
following. As we came out into the daylight, a silent shadow fell
across the great avenue that ran before the entrance, and there, barely
clearing the shining roof of the auditorium, was the sleek, fat bulk of
the _Ertak_. Correy had wasted no time in obeying orders.

Correy could smell a fight further than any man I ever knew.

* * * * *

From her emergency landing trap, the _Ertak_ let down the cable
elevator, and the six of us, Hendricks, Artur, the three Zenians of the
crew, and myself, were shot up into the hull. Correy was right there by
the trap to greet me.

"What are the orders, sir?" he asked,