into a mere cinder.

For an instant not a word was spoken, so sudden and unexpected was the
blow.

We knew that every soul in the stricken car had perished.

"Back! Back!" was the signal instantly flashed from the flagship, and
reversing their polarities the members of the squadron sprang away from
the little planet as rapidly as the electrical impulse could drive them.

But before we were out of reach a second flaming tongue of death shot
from the fearful engine, and another of our ships, with all its crew,
was destroyed.

[Illustration: _"Back! Back!" was the signal instantaneously flashed
from the flag ship, and the members of the squadron sprang away from the
little planet. But before we were out of reach a second tongue of death
shot from the fearful engine, and another of our ships, with all its
crew, was destroyed._]

It was an inauspicious beginning for us. Two of our electrical ships,
with their entire crews, had been wiped out of existence, and this
appalling blow had been dealt by a few stranded and disabled enemies
floating on an asteroid.

What hope would there be for us when we came to encounter the millions
of Mars itself on their own ground and prepared for war?

However, it would not do to despond. We had been incautious, and we
should take good care not to commit the same fault again.

The first thing to do was to avenge the death of our comrades. The
question whether we were able to meet these Martians and overcome them
might as well be settled right here and now. They had proved what they
could do, even when disabled and at a disadvantage. Now it was our turn.

CHAPTER SEVEN

_A PLANET OF GOLD_

The squadron had been rapidly withdrawn to a very considerable distance
from the asteroid. The range of the mysterious artillery employed by the
Martians was unknown to us. We did not even know the limit of the
effective range of our own disintegrators. If it should prove that the
Martians were able to deal their strokes at a distance greater than any
we could reach, then they would of course have an insuperable advantage.

On the other hand, if it should turn out that our range was greater than
theirs, the advantage would be on our side. Or--which was perhaps most
probable--there might be practically no difference in the effective
range of the engines.

Anyhow, we were going to find out how the case stood, and that without
delay.

Everything being in readiness, the disintegrators a