of the two
worlds upon which the different parties lived. While considerably less
than the acceleration of gravitation at the surface of the Earth, the
Terrestrials could readily accustom themselves to it; and it was not
enough greater than that of Osnome to hamper seriously the activities of
the green people.

Well clear of the Earth's influence, Seaton assured himself that
everything was functioning properly, then stretched to his full height,
wreathed his arms over his head, and heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"Folks," he declared, "This is the first time I've felt right since we
got out of this old bottle. Why, I feel so good a cat could walk up to
me and scratch me right in the eye, and I wouldn't even scratch back.
Yowp! I'm a wild Siberian catamount, and this is my night to howl.
Whee-ee-yerow!"

Dorothy laughed, a gay, lilting carol.

"Haven't I always told you he had cat blood in him, Peggy? Just like all
tomcats, every once in a while he has to stretch his claws and yowl. But
go ahead, Dickie, I like it--this is the first uproar you've made in
weeks. I believe I'll join you!"

"It most certainly is a relief to get this load off our minds: I could
do a little ladylike yowling myself," Margaret said; and Crane, lying
completely at ease, a thin spiral of smoke curling upward from his
cigarette, nodded agreement.

"Dick's yowling is quite expressive at times. All of us feel the same
way, but some of us are unable to express ourselves quite so vividly.
However, it is past bedtime, and we should organize our crew. Shall we
do it as we did before?"

"No, it isn't necessary. Everything is automatic. The bar is held
parallel to the guiding compass, and signal bells ring whenever any of
the instruments show a trace of abnormal behavior. Don't forget that
there is at least one meter registering and recording every factor of
our flight. With this control system we can't get into any such jam as
we did last trip."

"Surely you are not suggesting that we run all night with no one at the
controls?"

"Exactly that. A man camping at this board is painting the lily and
gilding fine gold. Awake or asleep nobody need be closer to it than is
necessary to hear a bell if one should ring, and you can hear them all
over the ship. Furthermore, I'll bet a hat we won't hear a signal a
week. Simply as added precaution, though, I've run lines so that any
time one of these signals lets go, it sounds a buzzer on the head of our