dison, however, had confided to me before we left
the earth the fact that he had invented a little instrument by means of
which a bubble, strongly charged with a powerful anaesthetic agent, could
be driven to a considerable distance into the face of an enemy, where,
exploding without other damage, it would instantly put him to sleep.

When Tom had placed the instrument in his hands Mr. Edison ordered the
electrical ship to forge slightly ahead and drop a little lower toward
the Martian, who, with watchful eyes and threatening gestures, noted
our approach in the attitude of a wild beast on the spring. Suddenly
Mr. Edison discharged from the instrument in his hand a little gaseous
globe, which glittered like a ball of tangled rainbows in the sunshine,
and darted with astonishing velocity straight into the upturned face of
the Martian. It burst as it touched and the monster fell back senseless
upon the ground.

One of the Bellicose Martians Falls Into the Hands of the
Worldians.

"You have killed him!" exclaimed all.

"No," said Mr. Edison, "he is not dead, only asleep. Now we shall drop
down and bind him tight before he can awake."

When we came to bind our prisoner with strong ropes we were more than
ever impressed with his gigantic stature and strength. Evidently in single
combat with equal weapons he would have been a match for twenty of us.

All that I had read of giants had failed to produce upon my mind the
impression of enormous size and tremendous physical energy which the
sleeping body of this immense Martian produced. He had fallen on his
back, and was in a most profound slumber. All his features were relaxed,
and yet even in that condition there was a devilishness about him that
made the beholders instinctively shudder.

The Unconscious Martian.

So powerful was the effect of the anaesthetic which Mr. Edison had
discharged into his face that he remained perfectly unconscious while
we turned him half over in order the more securely to bind his muscular
limbs.

In the meantime the other electrical ships approached, and several of
them made a landing upon the asteroid. Everybody was eager to see this
wonderful little world, which, as I have already remarked, was only five
miles in diameter.

Exploring the Planet.

Several of us from the flagship started out hastily to explore the
miniature planet. And now our attention was recalled to an intensely
interesting phenomenon which had engaged our th