nterested," he announced; "too hot to-night. Keep her away."

"Oh, she's far enough away," McGuire responded; "about seventy million
miles. Don't get excited."

"What are you talking about?" The captain shuffled his cards
irritably.

"Venus. She's winking at us, the old reprobate. One of these
star-gazers up on Mount Lawson saw the flashes a week or so ago. If
you'll cut out your solitaire and listen, I'll read you something to
improve your mind." He ignored the other's disrespectful remark and
held the paper closer to see the paragraphs.

"Is Venus Signalling?" inquired the caption which Lieutenant McGuire
read. "Professor Sykes of Mt. Lawson Observatory Reports Flashes.

"The planet Venus, now a brilliant spectacle in the evening sky, is
behaving strangely according to a report from the local observatory on
Mount Lawson. This sister star, most like Earth of all the planets, is
now at its eastern elongation, showing like a half-moon in the big
telescopes on Mt. Lawson. Shrouded in impenetrable clouds, its surface
has never been seen, but something is happening there. Professor Sykes
reports seeing a distinct flash of light upon the terminator, or
margin of light. It lasted for several seconds and was not repeated.

"No explanation of the phenomenon is offered by scientists, as
conditions on the planet's surface are unknown. Is there life there?
Are the people of Venus trying to communicate? One guess is as good as
another. But it is interesting to recall that our scientists recently
proposed to send a similar signal from Earth to Mars by firing a
tremendous flare of magnesium.

"Venus is now approaching the earth; she comes the nearest of all
planets. Have the Venusians penetrated their cloak of cloud masses
with a visible light? The planet will be watched with increased
interest as it swings toward us in space, in hope of there being a
repetition of the unexplained flash."

* * * * *

"There," said Lieutenant McGuire,"--doesn't that elevate your mind?
Take it off this infernally hot night? Carry you out through the cool
reaches of interplanetary space? If there is anything else you want to
know, just ask me."

"Yes," Captain Blake agree, "there is. I want to know how the game
came out back in New York--and you don't know that. Let's go over and
ask the radio man. He probably has the dope."

"Good idea," said McGuire; "maybe he has picked up a message from
Venus; we'll make