ked for it, and wanted it. Few people in Tormance will know more
about him than you do, but your memory will be your worst friend."

He led the way up a short iron ladder, mounting through a trap to the
flat roof above. When they were up, he switched on a small electric
torch.

Maskull beheld with awe the torpedo of crystal that was to convey them
through the whole breadth of visible space. It was forty feet long,
eight wide, and eight high; the tank containing the Arcturian back
rays was in front, the car behind. The nose of the torpedo was directed
toward the south-eastern sky. The whole machine rested upon a flat
platform, raised about four feet above the level of the roof, so as to
encounter no obstruction on starting its flight.

Krag flashed the light on to the door of the car, to enable them
to enter. Before doing so, Maskull gazed sternly once again at the
gigantic, far-distant star, which was to be their sun from now onward.
He frowned, shivered slightly, and got in beside Nightspore. Krag
clambered past them onto his pilot's seat. He threw the flashlight
through the open door, which was then carefully closed, fastened, and
screwed up.

He pulled the starting lever. The torpedo glided gently from its
platform, and passed rather slowly away from the tower, seaward. Its
speed increased sensibly, though not excessively, until the approximate
limits of the earth's atmosphere were reached. Krag then released the
speed valve, and the car sped on its way with a velocity more nearly
approaching that of thought than of light.

Maskull had no opportunity of examining through the crystal walls
the rapidly changing panorama of the heavens. An extreme drowsiness
oppressed him. He opened his eyes violently a dozen times, but on the
thirteenth attempt he failed. From that time forward he slept heavily.

The bored, hungry expression never left Nightspore's face. The
alterations in the aspect of the sky seemed to possess not the least
interest for him.

Krag sat with his hand on the lever, watching with savage intentness his
phosphorescent charts and gauges.

Chapter 6. JOIWIND

IT WAS DENSE NIGHT when Maskull awoke from his profound sleep. A wind
was blowing against him, gentle but wall-like, such as he had never
experienced on earth. He remained sprawling on the ground, as he was
unable to lift his body because of its intense weight. A numbing pain,
which he could not identify with any region of his frame, acte