and lay down full length across the threshold.



This was my first experience with a Martian watch dog, but it was

destined not to be my last, for this fellow guarded me carefully during

the time I remained a captive among these green men; twice saving my

life, and never voluntarily being away from me a moment.



While Sola was away I took occasion to examine more minutely the room

in which I found myself captive. The mural painting depicted scenes of

rare and wonderful beauty; mountains, rivers, lake, ocean, meadow,

trees and flowers, winding roadways, sun-kissed gardens--scenes which

might have portrayed earthly views but for the different colorings of

the vegetation. The work had evidently been wrought by a master hand,

so subtle the atmosphere, so perfect the technique; yet nowhere was

there a representation of a living animal, either human or brute, by

which I could guess at the likeness of these other and perhaps extinct

denizens of Mars.



While I was allowing my fancy to run riot in wild conjecture on the

possible explanation of the strange anomalies which I had so far met

with on Mars, Sola returned bearing both food and drink. These she

placed on the floor beside me, and seating herself a short ways off

regarded me intently. The food consisted of about a pound of some

solid substance of the consistency of cheese and almost tasteless,

while the liquid was apparently milk from some animal. It was not

unpleasant to the taste, though slightly acid, and I learned in a short

time to prize it very highly. It came, as I later discovered, not from

an animal, as there is only one mammal on Mars and that one very rare

indeed, but from a large plant which grows practically without water,

but seems to distill its plentiful supply of milk from the products of

the soil, the moisture of the air, and the rays of the sun. A single

plant of this species will give eight or ten quarts of milk per day.



After I had eaten I was greatly invigorated, but feeling the need of

rest I stretched out upon the silks and was soon asleep. I must have

slept several hours, as it was dark when I awoke, and I was very cold.

I noticed that someone had thrown a fur over me, but it had become

partially dislodged and in the darkness I could not see to replace it.

Suddenly a hand reached out and pulled the fur over me, shortly

afterwards adding another to my covering.



I presumed that my watchful guardian was Sola, nor was I wrong. This

girl alone, among all the green Martians with whom I came in contact,

disclosed characteristics of sympathy, kindliness, and affection; her

ministrations to my bodily wants were unfailing, and her solicitous

care saved me from much suffering and many hardships.



As I was to learn, the Martian nights are extremely cold, and as there

is practically no twilight or dawn, the changes in temperature are

sudden and most uncomfortable, as are the transitions from brilliant

daylight to darkness. The nights are either brilliantly illumined or

very dark, for if neither of the two moons of Mars happen to be in the

sky almost total darkness results, since the lack of atmosphere, or,

rather, the very thin atmosphere, fails to diffuse the starlight to any

great extent; on the other hand, if both of the moons are in the

heavens at night the surface of the ground is brightly illuminated.



Both of Mars' moons are vastly nearer her than is our moon to Earth;

the nearer moon being but about five thousand miles distant, while the

further is but little more than fourteen thousand miles away, against

the nearly one-quarter million miles which separate us from our moon.

The nearer moon of Mars makes a complete revolution around the planet

in a little over seven and one-half hours, so that she may be seen

hurtling through the sky like some huge meteor two or three times each

night, revealing all her phases during each transit of the heavens.



The further moon revolves about Mars in something over thirty and

one-quarter hours, and with her sister satellite makes a nocturnal

Martian scene one of splendid and weird grandeur. And it is well that

nature has so graciously and abundantly lighted the Martian night, for

the green men of Mars, being a nomadic race without high intellectual

development, have but crude means for artificial lighting; depending

principally upon torches, a kind of candle, and a peculiar oil lamp

which generates a gas and burns without a wick.



This last device produces an intensely brilliant far-reaching white

light, but as the natural oil which it requires can only be obtained by

mining in one of several widely separated and remote localities it is

seldom used by these creatures whose only thought is for today, and

whose hatred for manual labor has kept them in a semi-barbaric state

for countless ages.



After Sola had replenished my coverings I again slept, nor did I awaken

until daylight. The other occupants of the room, five in number, were

all females, and they were still sleeping, piled high with a motley

array of silks and furs. Across the threshold lay stretched the

sleepless guardian brute, just as I had last seen him on the preceding

day; apparently he had not moved a muscle; his eyes were fairly glued

upon me, and I fell to wondering just what might befall me should I

endeavor to escape.



I have ever been prone to seek adventure and to investigate and

experiment where wiser men would have left well enough alone. It

therefore now occurred to me that the surest way of learning the exact

attitude of this beast toward me would be to attempt to leave the room.

I felt fairly secure in my belief that I could escape him should he

pursue me once I was outside the building, for I had begun to take

great pride in my ability as a jumper. Furthermore, I could see from

the shortness of his legs that the brute himself was no jumper and

probably no runner.



Slowly and carefully, therefore, I gained my feet, only to see that my

watcher did the same; cautiously I advanced toward him, finding that by

moving with a shuffling gait I could retain my balance as well as make

reasonably rapid progress. As I neared the brute he backed cautiously

away from me, and when I had reached the open he moved to one side to

let me pass. He then fell in behind me and followed about ten paces in

my rear as I made my way along the deserted street.



Evidently his mission was to protect me only, I thought, but when we

reached the edge of the city he suddenly sprang before me, uttering

strange sounds and baring his ugly and ferocious tusks. Thinking to

have some amusement at his expense, I rushed toward him, and when

almost upon him sprang into the air, alighting far beyond him and away

from the city. He wheeled instantly and charged me with the most

appalling speed I had ever beheld. I had thought his short legs a bar

to swiftness, but had he been coursing with greyhounds the latter would

have appeared as though asleep on a door mat. As I was to learn, this

is the fleetest animal on Mars, and owing to its intelligence, loyalty,

and ferocity is used in hunting, in war, and as the protector of the

Martian man.



I quickly saw that I would have difficulty in escaping the fangs of the

beast on a straightaway course, and so I met his charge by doubling in

my tracks and leaping over him as he was almost upon me. This maneuver

gave me a considerable advantage, and I was able to reach the city

quite a bit ahead of him, and as he came tearing after me I jumped for

a window about thirty feet from the ground in the face of one of the

buildings overlooking the valley.



Grasping the sill I pulled myself up to a sitting posture without

looking into the building, and gazed down at the baffled animal beneath

me. My exultation was short-lived, however, for scarcely had I gained

a secure seat upon the sill than a huge hand grasped me by the neck

from behind and dragged me violently into the room. Here I was thrown

upon my back, and beheld standing over me a colossal ape-like creature,

white and hairless except for an enormous shock of bristly hair upon

its head.