such
distances from the surface as we Titanians shall have to maintain. If
you will set out a flask of your atmosphere, we will analyze it, for the
thought has come to me that perhaps, being planet-dwellers yourselves,
the air of Saturn might not be as poisonous to you as it is to us."

"That's a thought, too," and, the news broadcast, it was not long until
the two ships leaped into the air, to the accompaniment of the cheers
and plaudits of a watching multitude.

* * * * *

In a wide curve they sped toward Saturn. Passing so close to the
enormous rings that the individual meteoric fragments could almost be
seen with the unaided eye, they flashed on and on, slowing down long
before they approached the upper surface of the envelope of cloud.
The spherical space-ship stopped and Stevens, staring into his useless
screen, drove the _Forlorn Hope_ downward mile after mile, solely under
Barkovis' direction, changing course and power from time to time as the
Titanian's voice came from the speaker at his elbow. Slower and slower
became the descent, until finally, almost upon the broad, flat roof
of the power-plant, Stevens saw it in his plate. Breathing deeply in
relief, he dropped quickly down upon a flat pavement, neutralized his
controls, and turned to Nadia.

"Well, old golf-shootist, we're here at last--now we'll go out and see
what's gone screwy with the works. Remember that gravity is about double
normal here, and conduct yourself accordingly."

"But it's supposed to be only about nine-tenths," she objected.

"That's at the outer surface of the atmosphere," he replied. "And it's
_some_ atmosphere--not like the thin layer we've got on Tellus."

They went into the airlock, and Stevens admitted air until their
suits began to collapse. Then, face-plate valves cracked, he sniffed
cautiously, finally opening his helmet wide. Nadia followed suit and
the man laughed as she wrinkled her nose in disgust as two faint, but
unmistakable odors smote her olfactory nerves.

"I never cared particularly for hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide,
either," he assured her, "but they aren't strong enough to hurt us in
the short time we'll be here. Those Titanian chemists know their stuff,
though."

He opened the outer valves slowly, then opened the door and they stepped
down upon the smooth, solid floor, which Stevens examined carefully.

"I thought so, from his story. Solid platinum! This whole plane