at foot the long and dexterous
thumb and fingers were curled up, out of the way and protected from
injury, in the palm of the hand. From the monstrous shoulders there
rose a rather long and very flexible, yet massive and columnar neck,
supporting a head neither human nor bestial--a head utterly unknown to
Terrestrial history or experience. The massive cranium bespoke a highly
developed and intelligent brain, as did the three large and expressive,
peculiar, triangular eyes. The three sensitive ears were very long,
erect, and sharply pointed. Each was set immediately above an eye, one
upon each side of the head and one in front. Each ear was independently
and instantly movable in any direction, to catch the faintest sound.
The head, like the body and limbs, was entirely devoid of hair. The
horns, so prominent in the savages Stevens had seen, were in this highly
intelligent race but vestigial--three small, sharp, black protuberances
only an inch in length, one surmounting each ear, outlining the lofty
forehead. The nose occupied almost the whole middle of the face and was
not really a nose--it developed into a small and active proboscis. The
chin was receding almost to the point of disappearance, so that the
mouth, with its multiple rows of small, sharp, gleaming-white teeth, was
almost hidden under the face instead of being a part of it. Such were
the hexans, at whom the Big Three stared in undisguised amazement.

"Attention, please!" Newton called the meeting to order. "We have
learned that all the passengers of the _Arcturus_, and all the crew save
three, are alive and safe for the time being. Most of them are upon the
satellite Europa. However, I understand that we are not yet sufficiently
well armed to withstand such an attack in force as will certainly
develop when we move to rescue them. This seems to be a war of applied
physics--Doctor Brandon, as spokesman for the Scientific forces of the
expedition, what are your suggestions?"

"Anticipating an attack in response to signals probably sent out by the
enemy," replied Brandon. "I headed directly south immediately. We are
now well south the ecliptic, and are traveling at considerably more than
full Martian acceleration. Before making any suggestions, I should like
to hear from Captain Czuv, who is more familiar than we are with the
common enemy. Are they apt to follow us: can they detect us if we should
drift at constant velocity; and can we search the brains of the