.

"The people work one mig out of each lix, Dick. It is enough to carry on
cultivation of the crops, and keep the amusement buildings running
properly and efficiently."

Barrow was stunned. The working period would have to be increased to
three immediately, then four and five. They seemed to think that
bringing men from another world would do the work, and were apt to be
disappointed when he started issuing orders.

* * * * *

When Dick and his wife were installed in their new home, and the
McCarthys settled in a nearby apartment, Morquil hesitated. The Martins
were anxious to see their own habitation, and looked at the dome man
questioningly.

He finally spoke with hesitation. "I have bad news for you. The Martins
will have to occupy an apartment in this city for a while. Their dome is
out of order. Trouble developed soon after the ship left here, on this
trip, and over a thousand people were killed. Every other city is
overcrowded with refugees.

"It started with a strange banging on top of the dome, which kept
increasing. No one knew what the trouble was or how to stop it, so they
waited to see what happened. It didn't sound as if the ceiling was going
to fall--but as if the banging came from _outside_! It was several migs
before they knew the cause.

"When a large section crashed to the ground, it was a complete surprise,
and caught the inhabitants unprepared. Soon the air was mixing with the
poison gases from outside. People tried to escape, and most of them did.
All except those that fell unconscious from the gas.

"Before the last of them reached the tunnel, green things dropped to the
ground, and started after those who remained. They had to close the
doors between the cities to keep the creatures from entering this dome.
It is the first time that anything has happened to my people, and we
don't know what it could be."

For a long time the earthmen remained silent. The troubles of this
civilization had been dumped into their laps already--in the form of a
terrible calamity. It sounded _almost_ as if some kind of life forms had
broken through the domes _from the outside_! Perhaps there was more
danger than could be imagined. One dome had been injured, if not
destroyed, and others might follow!

A meeting of the earthmen was called immediately, much to their
surprise. Dick dared not let conditions stay as they were, for fear of
future trouble. Action must be taken at on