But it was no use! Rapidly they overhauled us.

"Can't you get more speed out of it?" I shouted at her, for they were
very close.

"We have been unlucky, my friend. This ship is not in good shape. There
is something wrong with it. I cannot make it go as it should, or there
is something I do not know...."

Swiftly they came up with us, over us, and beams of light shot from them
down upon us. The ship was held now, rigid. One could feel the
acceleration cease. Like a bird on a string we followed as they swung
back toward the valley. Minutes later we were being lowered into the
open space we had just left. I clicked the safety off my rifle,
loosened the gun in my holster. I covered the door, shielding myself
behind the round shape of a machine. But Carna put a hand on my weapon,
shook her head.

"If you kill some of them, they will make of you a Shinro. If you submit
meekly, it may be I can talk to someone and save you. I have ways. I
understand them. They will be glad to get me, and I will tell them _you_
know many things they need to know. I can save your life. Later we can
try again, in another ship. Next time we will not be so unlucky."

It sounded like sense, and I looked into her deep eyes searchingly. She
meant well. Perhaps she could do what she said. I did not know these
aliens; she was almost one of them.

As the door opened in the side, I lay the rifle down, stood with crossed
arms as the thin, hopping horrors came near.

These things had _never_ been men. They had faces that were empty of
features, just flat, shiny, gray eyes, two holes where they breathed, no
mouth that I could see. There was a long neck around which the collar of
their white robe was gathered in folds. Their hands were horny, like an
insect's claws. They were not human, they were only four-limbed, and
walked--or hopped--in an erect position. There the resemblance ceased.

They led us out, Carna rattling off a series of sounds I could hardly
follow. Something about:

"We had to flee from the Zervs, we did not believe you would take us in,
we had to steal a ship. I am Carna, a Zoorph of the first grade, and
this man is a native of the United States, the greatest country of this
earth. Do not harm him, he can help you if he wishes."

Her words must have had quite an effect, for the weird, insect-like men
examined me with their eyes as we hurried along, across the hangar
space, into the big building of rose granite. Within twenty min