as empty. He cursed himself through
clenched teeth for having strayed away from the patrol while armed only
with a light tube with simply three charges. Two more of the reptile men
lay twitching in the tall grass, but the other three were almost up to
him. After that one volley they had drawn their swords, which probably
meant that their compressed-gas rifles were cumbersome things to reload.

And then Gerry Norton suddenly remembered the greater strength of his
Earthly muscles. As the foremost Venusian lunged for him with long blade
swinging, Gerry bounded high into the air. He went clean over the head
of his antagonist, coming down squarely on top of the next behind. They
both went sprawling, but Gerry recovered first. Gripping the fallen
Venusian by the ankles, the Earth-man swung him around his head like a
flail and hurled him squarely at the other two. The three of them went
down in a tangled heap.

By the time the reptile men again scrambled to their feet, Gerry had
snatched up the sword of one of the men he had killed with the ray-tube.
Now he had something to fight with! The long sword whistled as he jerked
it free from its scabbard. For an instant he tested the blade in both
hands. It was forged of some bluish metal that seemed as strong and
flexible as well-tempered steel. Then, still smiling his thin-lipped
smile though his eyes were as cold as the wintry seas, Gerry Norton
waited the onrush of the three Venusians.

There were a few seconds of clashing steel. The reptile men were good
swordsmen, but they were no match for the speed and strength of the Man
from Earth. Two of them were stretched on the ground with cloven skulls,
and then the last survivor turned and ran. Gerry could have caught him
easily, for the webbed feet of the Venusian did not make for great
speed, but he was content to let him go.

When the scaly tail of the fleeing creature had vanished in the
underbrush, Gerry thrust his sword upright in the ground--where it would
be handy if he needed it again in a hurry--and freed the golden-haired
girl from her bonds.

"I wonder where _you_ fit into this picture, Bright Eyes!" he muttered,
knowing she would not understand.

There was certainly nothing of the shrinking violet about this girl!
When her hands were free she faced Gerry without any sign of either fear
or even much gratitude, standing erect with her hands on her hips and
her eyes nearly on a level with his own.

"_Jaro quimtar_--w