of reddish
dust, and our pistols slashed the other into ribbons.

"Back to the ship!" I shouted. "Look, Mr. Correy--there are hundreds
of them!"

Before us score upon score of the great disks were lifting, and from
the tunnel each revealed, monstrous rust-red bodies were pouring.

Our retreat covered by the two ray operators, we made our way swiftly
to the ship. The great spiders, apparently alarmed by the magical
disappearance of those of their comrades upon which the disintegrator
ray rested, hesitated for a moment, their tremendous legs tensed, and
their mandibles quivering with venomous anger, and then scuttled back
into their holes, swinging their covers into place as they did so.

"We didn't do so badly, at that," grinned Correy rather breathlessly,
as we gained the welcome shelter of the _Ertak_. "There are a score
and more of those potlids still standing open--which means that many
spiders didn't go back to tell about what happened to them."

"True--but had they waited until they could have surrounded us, the
_Ertak_ would have been short-handed on the return trip. She would
have been just two officers and six men short."

I have never seen a real expression of fear on Correy's face, but I
came as close to it then as I ever did.

"They're tough customers," he said. "I never did like spiders, and I
like them less, now. Those things stood half again as high as a man on
their long legs, and could jump half the length of the ship."

"Hardly that," I said. "But I'll say this: if they're the gentry
Inverness and the other two are investigating, they're welcome to
their jobs!"

* * * * *

There wasn't any difficulty in keeping the men close to the ship after
that, although waiting was a tedious and nerve-racking procedure.

We watched the spider-infested territory closely, however, and found
that they fed at night upon the deer-like creatures Correy had
mentioned. These unwary beasts, seeking water, were pounced upon the
instant they came close to one of the hidden dens, and dragged swiftly
out of sight. These observations were made by television, and Correy
in particular would sit up half the night watching the creatures at
work.

It was the second day of the fourth week that the sentry on duty
called out that the boat was returning. We hastened down to the river
to welcome them back, and I for one felt very much relieved.

But as the boat approached, I felt my fears retu