The Skylark of Space

attacked viciously. Dorothy screamed and started back as a scorpion-like thing with a body ten feet in length leaped at the window in front of her, its terrible sting spraying the glass with venom. As it fell to the ground, a huge spider--if an eight-legged creature with spines instead of hair, many-faceted eyes, and a bloated, globular body weighing hundreds of pounds, may be called a spider--leaped upon it and, mighty mandibles against poisonous sting, the furious battle raged. Several twelve-foot cockroaches climbed nimbly across the fallen timber of the morass and began feeding voraciously upon the body of the dead dinosaur, only to be driven away by another animal, which all three men recognized instantly as that king of all prehistoric creatures, the saber-toothed tiger. This newcomer, a tawny beast towering fifteen feet high at the shoulder, had a mouth disproportionate even to his great size--a mouth armed with four great tiger-teeth more than three feet in length. He had barely begun his meal, however, when he was challenged by another nightmare, a something apparently half-way between a dinosaur and a crocodile. At the first note the tiger charged. Clawing, striking, rending each other with their terrible teeth, a veritable avalanche of bloodthirsty rage, the combatants stormed up and down the little island. But the fighters were rudely interrupted, and the earthly visitors discovered that in this primitive world it was not only animal life that was dangerous. [Illustration: The great tree standing on the farther edge of the island suddenly bent over, lashing out like a snake and grasping both. It transfixed them with the terrible thorns, which were now seen to be armed with needlepoints and to possess barbs like fish-hooks.] The great tree standing on the farther edge of the island suddenly bent over, lashing out like a snake and grasping both. It transfixed them with the terrible thorns, which were now seen to be armed with needlepoints and to possess barbs like fish-hooks. It ripped at them with the long branches, which were veritable spears. The broad leaves, armed with revolting sucking disks, closed about the two animals, while the long, slender twigs, each of which was now seen to have an eye at its extremity, waved about, watching each movement of the captives from a safe distance. If the struggle between the two animals had been awful, this was Titanic. The air was torn by the roars of the reptile, the screams of the great cat, and the shrieks of the tree. The very ground rocked with the ferocity of the conflict. There could be but one result--soon the tree, having absorbed the two gladiators, resumed its upright position in all its beauty. The members of the little group stared at each other, sick at heart. "This is NO place to start a copper-mine. I think we'd better beat it," remarked Seaton presently, wiping drops of perspiration from his forehead. "I think so," acquiesced Crane. "We found air and Earth-like conditions here; we probably will elsewhere." "Are you all right, Dottie?" asked Seaton. "All right, Dicky," she replied, the color flowing back into her cheeks. "It scared me stiff, and I think I have a lot of white hairs right now, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything." She paused an instant, and continued: "Dick, there must be a queer streak of brutality in me, but would you mind blowing up that frightful tree? I wouldn't mind its nature if it were ugly--but look at it! It's so deceptively beautiful! You wouldn't think it had the disposition of a fiend, would you?" * * * * * A general laugh relieved the nervous tension, and Seaton stepped impulsively toward DuQuesne with his hand outstretched. "You've squared your account, Blackie. Say the word and the war's all off." DuQuesne ignored the hand and glanced coldly at the group of eager, friendly faces. "Don't be sentimental," he remarked evenly as he turned away to his room. "Emotional scenes pain me. I gave my word to act as one of the party." "Well, may I be kicked to death by little red spiders!" exclaimed Seaton, dumbfounded, as the other disappeared. "He ain't a man, he's a fish!" "He's a machine. I always thought so, and now I know it," stated Margaret, and the others nodded agreement. "Well, we'll sure pull his cork as soon as we get back!" snapped Seaton. "He asked for it, and we'll give him both barrels!" "I know I acted the fool out there," Margaret apologized, flushing hotly and looking at Crane. "I don't know what made me act so stupid. I used to have a little nerve." "You were a regular little brick, Peg," Seaton returned instantly. "Both you girls are all to the good--the right kind to have along in ticklish places." Crane held out his steady hand and took Margaret's in a warm clasp. "For a girl in your weakened condition you were wonderful. You have no reason to reproach yourself." Tears filled the dark eyes, but were held back bravely as she held her head erect and returned the pressure of his hand. "Just so you don't leave me behind next time," she returned lightly, and the last word concerning the incident had been said. Seaton applied the power and soon they were approaching another planet, which was surrounded by a dense fog. Descending slowly, they found it to be a mass of boiling-hot steam and rank vapors, under enormous pressure. The next planet they found to have a clear atmosphere, but the ground had a peculiar, barren look; and analysis of the gaseous envelope proved it to be composed almost entirely of chlorin. No life of an earthly type could be possible upon such a world, and a search for copper, even with the suits and helmets, would probably be fruitless if not impossible. "Well," remarked Seaton as they were again in space, "we've got enough copper to visit several more worlds--several more solar systems, if necessary. But there's a nice, hopeful-looking planet right in front of us. It may be the one we're looking for." Arrived in the belt of atmosphere, they tested it as before, and found it satisfactory.