The mouth was a minute, circular thing, soft and flabby
looking, which opened and shut regularly with the creature's
breathing. It resembled the snout-like mouth of a fish, of the sucker
variety; and fish-like, too, was the smooth and slimy skin that
covered the beanpole body.

* * * * *

Hundreds of the repulsive things, there were. And all of them shoved
and crowded, as a disorderly mob on Earth might do, to get close to
the Earthmen's ship. Their big dull eyes peered in through the glass
panels, and their hands--mere round blobs of gristle in the palms of
which were set single sucker disks--pattered against the metal hull of
the shell.

"God!" said Brand with a shudder. "Fancy these things feeling over
your body...."

"They're hostile, whatever they are," said Dex. "Look out: that one's
pointing something at you!"

One of the slender, tottering creatures had raised an arm and leveled
at Brand something that looked rather like an elongated, old-fashioned
flashlight. Brand involuntarily ducked. The clear glass panel between
them and the mob outside gave him a queasy feeling of being exposed to
whatever missile might lurk in the thing's tube.

"What do we do now?" demanded Dex with a shaky laugh. "You're chief of
this expedition. I'm waiting for orders."

"We wait right here," replied Brand. "We're safe in the shell till
we're starved out. At least they can't get in to attack us."

But it developed that, while the slimy looking things might not be
able to get in, they had ways of reaching the Earthmen just the same!

* * * * *

The creature with the gun-like tube extended it somewhat further
toward Brand.

Brand felt a sharp, unpleasant tingle shoot through his body, as
though he had received an electric shock. He winced, and cried out at
the sudden pain of it.

"What's the matter--" Dex began. But hardly had the words left his
mouth when he, too, felt the shock. A couple of good, hearty Earth
oaths exploded from his lips.

The repulsive creature outside made an authoritative gesture. He
seemed to be beckoning to them, his huge dull eyes glaring
threateningly at the same moment.

"Our beanpole friend is suggesting that we get out of the shell and
stay awhile," said Dex with grim humor. "They seem anxious to
entertain us--_ouch!_"

As the two men made no move to obey the beckoning gesture, the
creature had raised the tube again; and again