hind that upthrust
of rock. You see, they think you know where the Caves are because you
have explored Titan, and they think you will come directly here, so
they want the ship hidden to make sure you land."

Half a hundred men in their space-suits toiled like ants about the big
cylindrical craft until they at last jockeyed it into position behind
the natural screen of rock. Even before it was in place other men were
swarming over the ship with paint machines, coloring it a granite
gray. When they had finished the ship was nearly invisible from the
sky.

Penrun paid little attention to their preparations. His attention was
centered on those two shining rods atop the Queen's silken palace.
They now aimed at the ship in its new position. A strange idea flashed
through his mind. Those rods had in some mysterious way put the
elevating machinery of the _Osprey_ out of commission!

Suppose the spiders turned them next on his own space-sphere up here
on the peak? The thought sent a shudder through him. Visions of the
final flight across the nightmarish, distorted granite, the running
down and capture of himself and Irma, the paralyzing bite of the
monsters in the cavern of the Living Dead flashed across his mind.
Cold sweat stood out on his forehead. Instinctively his hand leaped to
the propulsion control and hovered there.

* * * * *

Yet why hadn't the spiders attacked the ship, now that they had it
helpless? It was not their usual tactics to give their victims a
chance to free themselves. Why, why? There could be only one answer.
They were waiting for something! Penrun's eyes glinted suddenly.

"Irma," he said rapidly, "we are in serious danger. The spiders have
obviously put the elevating machinery of the _Osprey_ out of
commission. Helgers and his men are doomed to the Living Death as
surely as though they were already lying in the silken hammocks. If
the monsters choose, they could do the same thing to our sphere and
doom us to the same fate. I believe they are waiting for something.
While they wait we have a chance to get the treasure and escape. Shall
we risk it, or shall we go while we know we are safe?"

She looked up at him evenly.

"If you think we have a fair chance to get the treasure and escape, I
say let's risk it," she said firmly.

"Good!" he exclaimed. "Here we go!"

The little sphere slipped out of its cleft in the peak and dropped
swiftly into the valley on the si