lanet itself, bears once upon the earth at every revolution, until the
changing position of the globes take the target out of range.

In less than a year and a half the planets must meet again. It is war to
the death; a united world against an enemy unknown--an enemy who has
conquered space. And there is less than a year and a half in which to
prepare!

Far out in the blackness of space McGuire and Sykes are captives in the
giant ship. Their stupor leaves them; they find themselves immersed in
clouds. The clouds part; their ship drops through; and below them is a
strange continent shaped like the letter "L." Captives of inhuman but
man-shaped things, they are landing upon a strange globe--upon the
planet Venus itself!

CHAPTER VIII

Miles underneath the great ship, from which Lieutenant McGuire and
Professor Sykes were now watching through a floor-window of thick glass,
was a glittering expanse of water--a great ocean. The flickering gold
expanse that reflected back the color of the sunlit clouds passed to one
side as the ship took its station above the island, a continent in size,
that had shown by its shape like a sharply formed "L" an identifying
mark to the astronomer.

They were high in the air; the thick clouds that surrounded this new
world were miles from its surface, and the things of the world that
awaited were tiny and blurred.

Airships passed and repassed far below. Large, some of them--as bulky
as the transport they were on; others were small flashing cylinders, but
all went swiftly on their way.

It must have come--some ethereal vibration to warn others from the
path--for layer after layer of craft were cleared for the descent. A
brilliant light flashed into view, a dazzling pin-point on the shore
below, and the great ship fell suddenly beneath them. Swiftly it dropped
down the pathway of light; on even keel it fell down and still down,
till McGuire, despite his experience in the air, was sick and giddy.

The light blinked out at their approach. It was some minutes before the
watching eyes recovered from the brilliance to see what mysteries might
await, and then the surface was close and the range of vision small.

A vast open space--a great court paved with blocks of black and white--a
landing field, perhaps, for about it in regular spacing other huge
cylinders were moored. Directly beneath in a clear space was a giant
cradle of curved arms; it was a mammoth structure, and the men knew at a