s,
after all, only a guess), it is not even then certain that Mars was
thrown off the central sun before the Earth. It is much smaller, and may
have been thrown off later and travelled farther for this reason.
Another good reason for believing in a less advanced civilization is the
length of the Martian year and consequent sluggishness of the seasons.
He requires 687 of our days to complete his sun revolution, making his
years nearly twice as long as ours. I believe his whole development is
at a correspondingly slow rate of speed."

"Which do you think is the most advanced and enlightened planet, then?"
I ventured.

"That one which finds a way to visit the others first," he answered,
with a touch of pride.

"But there may be a tinge of personal conceit in that idea," I
suggested.

"Possibly a mere tinge, but the essence of it is apparent truth," he
declared. "That planet which has learned the most, made the greatest
discoveries and the most useful inventions, is the best and fittest
teacher of the others, and will be the sharpest and keenest to gather
new information and formulate new science. It is eminently fit that
representatives of such a planet should visit the others, and eminently
unfit that any primitive civilization engaged in base wars and striving
for mere conquest should be allowed that privilege. An all-wise Creator
would not permit a huge, strong, ignorant race entirely to overrun and
extinguish one weaker but more intelligent. He might permit a strong,
intelligent, masterful race to rule and direct a weaker and dependent
one, as a schoolmaster rules and guides a child."

"Then you think we are the wise and masterful race?"

"As no other race has yet discovered us; as they have all left the Space
Problem unsolved, and as it has been uncovered to us, that is my
irresistible conclusion."

"Still, you will not go with ideas of conquest, but to teach and to
learn?"

"We shall take with us swords, shields, and fire-arms, for defence.
Unless I mistake the nature of their metals, our steel will resist any
weapon they can manufacture. But what explosives or what noxious gases
they may have, all strange to us, it is impossible to conjecture.
Therefore, we shall go with peace in our hands."

"What progress do you think they have made in inventions?" I suggested,
as the doctor hesitated.

"If they are winged men, I should say they have never felt that urgent
need of railroads, steam boats, telegraphs a