ere was another difference. Instead of a great open space in the
center of the city, there was a central, park-like space, in the
middle of which was a massive pile, circular in shape, and built, like
all the rest of the city, of the black, sweating rock which seemed to
be the sole building material of the Chisee.

We set the _Ertak_ down close to the big circular building, which we
guessed--and correctly--to be the seat of government. I ordered the
searchlight ray to be extinguished the moment we landed, and the ethon
tubes that illuminated our ship inside to be turned off, so that we
might accustom our eyes as much as possible to darkness, finding our
way about with small ethon tube flashlights.

With a small guard, I stood at the forward exit of the _Ertak_ and
watched the huge circular door back out on its mighty threads, and
finally swing to one side on its massive gimbals. Croy--the only
officer with me--and I both wore our menores, and carried full
expeditionary equipment, as did the guard.

The Chisee messenger, grimacing and talking excitedly in his sibilant,
whispering voice, crouched on all fours (he could not stand in that
small space) and waited, three men of the guard on either side of him.
I placed his menore on his head and gave him simple, forceful orders,
picturing them for him as best I could:

"Go from this place and find others of your kind. Tell them that we
would speak to them with things such as you have upon your head. Run
swiftly!"

"I will run," he conveyed to me, "to those great ones who sent me." He
pictured them fleetingly. They were creatures like himself, save that
they were elaborately dressed in fine skins of several pale colors,
and wore upon their arms, between their two elbows, broad circlets of
carved metal which I took to be emblems of power or authority, since
the chief of them all wore a very broad band. Their faces were much
more intelligent than their messenger had led me to expect, and their
eyes, very large and round, and not at all human, were the eyes of
thoughtful, reasoning creatures.

* * * * *

Doubled on all fours, the Chisee crept through the circular exit, and
straightened up. As he did so, from out of the darkness a score or
more of his fellows rushed up, gathering around him, and blocking the
exit with their reedy legs. We could hear than talking excitedly in
high-pitched, squeaky whispers. Then, suddenly I received an
expres