"After all," , " tremendous occasion meeting of two worlds ! we going ? Think of below us here "

"We shan't see much light isn't better," I remarked

" only the outer crust Down below - scale - everything notice how different they seem one from another ? The story take back ! "

"Some rare sort of animal," , "might comfort himself way while they were bringing him Zoo . . It doesn't follow that going shown all these things "

" find reasonable minds," said Cavor, " want to learn earth Even if no generous emotions, teach to learn . . things know ! The unanticipated things ! "

He went on to speculate possibility knowing things he had never hoped to learn on earth, speculating way, with raw wound goad already skin ! Much that I forget, attention was drawn fact tunnel along which we marching was opening out wider and wider We seemed, feeling air, going out into huge space But how big the space might really be tell, because unlit Our little stream of light ran in dwindling thread and vanished far ahead Presently the rocky walls had vanished altogether on either hand nothing seen but the path in front of us trickling hurrying rivulet of blue phosphorescence The figures of Cavor guiding Selenite marched before me, the sides legs and heads that were towards the rivulet were clear and bright blue, their darkened sides, now reflection tunnel wall no longer lit them, merged indistinguishably darkness beyond

And soon I perceived that we were approaching declivity of some sort, because the little blue stream dipped suddenly out of sight

In another moment, as it seemed, we had reached the edge The shining stream gave one meander of hesitation and then rushed over It fell to depth at which the sound descent was absolutely lost Far below was bluish glow, sort of blue mist - at an infinite distance below darkness the stream dropped out of became utterly void and black, save that thing like plank projected edge cliff and stretched out and faded and vanished altogether warm air blowing up gulf

For moment I and Cavor stood as near the edge dared, peering into blue-tinged profundity And then our guide was pulling at my arm

Then he left me, and walked end plank and stepped upon it, looking back Then when he perceived we watched him, he turned about and went on along it, walking as surely on firm earth For moment his form was distinct, then he became blue blur, and then vanished obscurity I became aware of some vague shape looming darkly black

pause "Surely ! -" said Cavor

other Selenites walked few paces out plank, and turned and looked back at us unconcernedly The others stood ready after us Our guide's expectant figure reappeared returning why we advanced

"What beyond there ? " I asked

" 't see "

" 't cross this at any price," said I

" go three steps ," said Cavor, "even with my hands free "

We looked at 's drawn faces in blank consternation

" 't know what it giddy ! " said Cavor

"It's quite impossible to walk that plank "

"I don't believe they see do I've been watching them I wonder know simply blackness How can them understand ? "

"Anyhow, make them understand "

we said these things with vague half hope the Selenites might somehow understand quite clearly that all that was needed was an explanation Then as their faces, I realised that an explanation was impossible Just here it our resemblances going to bridge our differences Well, I wasn't going to walk the plank, anyhow I slipped my wrist very quickly coil of chain that was loose, and then began to twist my wrists in opposite directions standing nearest bridge, and as this two Selenites laid hold of me, and pulled me gently towards it

I shook my head violently "No go," , "no use You don't understand "

Another Selenite added his compulsion forced to step forward

"I've got an idea," said Cavor; but his ideas

"Look here ! " I exclaimed Selenites "Steady on ! It's all - "

I sprang round upon my heel I burst out into curses For armed Selenites had stabbed me behind goad

I wrenched my wrists free little tentacles that held them I turned goad-bearer "Confound you ! " I cried "I've warned you What on earth I'm made of, to stick that into me ? touch me again - "

By way of answer he pricked me forthwith

I heard Cavor's voice in alarm and entreaty Even then to compromise creatures " , Bedford," he cried, " way ! " But the sting second stab seemed to set free some pent-up reserve of energy in my being Instantly the link wrist-chain snapped, and with it snapped all considerations that had held us unresisting hands moon creatures second, , mad with fear and anger no thought of consequences I hit straight out face thing goad The chain was twisted round my fist

There came another beastly surprises the moon world is full

My mailed hand seemed clean through him He smashed like - like some softish sort of sweet with liquid ! He broke right in ! He squelched and splashed like hitting damp toadstool The flimsy body went spinning dozen yards, and fell with flabby impact astonished incredulous that any living thing so flimsy For an instant believed the whole thing dream

Then it had become real and imminent again Neither Cavor nor the other Selenites seemed to anything time when I had turned about time dead Selenite hit the ground stood back two, alert That arrest seemed to last second Selenite was down must taking the thing in I seem to remember myself standing with my arm half retracted, trying also it in "What next ? " clamoured my brain; "what next ? " Then in moment was moving !

I perceived get our chains loose, before these Selenites had beaten off I faced towards the group three goad-bearers Instantly one threw his goad at me It swished over my head, and I suppose went flying abyss behind

I leaped right at him with all my might goad flew over me He turned to run as I jumped, and I bore him ground, came down right upon him, and slipped upon his smashed body and fell to wriggle under my foot