s hope is different from
despair. Our discovery of the cruiser had been almost accidental, a
thing which might never have taken place except for our trip to get the
spikes of jade. Surely such a happy accident had never happened before!

* * * * *

The moment I gave the command to go ahead, and we started to run, all of
the ugly, bird-like faces of the Orconites across the tunnel became
convulsed, and the creatures commenced to howl at us. Before we hurled
ourselves against the line, swift reinforcements shot through the air
over our heads and joined them, and the temporary uncertainty which had
held them gave way, so that they met our advance with an advance of
their own. But we did not care.

A few smashing blows which I delivered with my fists served to bring
screams of agony from the several creatures immediately about me, and as
one or two staggered and crashed to the floor, the others gave way a
little. In a moment I was through the line to the pile of stalactites.
And the others were through with me.

"Here you go, Koto!" I cried, and stooping down in spite of the jostling
bodies and clammy hands that tried to prevent us, I caught up one of the
long, needle-pointed, heavy stalactites. As I shoved it at him and
snatched another for myself, Captain Crane and the others armed
themselves.

By this time every Orconite in the heavy guard was on the spot, and the
whole mass was all over us, gasping, burbling, flapping their wings,
fighting to clutch at us with their hideous orange hands and waving
antennae. Decidedly the fight was on, and I was forced to admit the fact
that, though these creatures might be sheep, even sheep have power. But
the first skirmish was already won, and I had faith that we could win
the real battle.

I balanced my peculiar weapon in my hand to get the feel of it, then
brushed aside a pair of sucking paws which were trying to take it from
me, and plunged the spike clean through the body of the man who held me.

He fell without making a sound. I regained my weapon by planting my boot
on his chest and wrenching it free.

I swung the spike like a club and crushed two heads with a single blow
at each. A downward blow served almost to hack a long, clutching arm
from an Orconite's body. With four men out of the struggle, I looked to
see how my companions were faring, and was assured by a single glance
that they were as well off as I.