He laughed shortly. "It was the way you handled those three creatures of Skor," he explained. "I saw possibilities in such a man, and we are always looking for better qualities to infuse into the blood of Havatoo. But come, let me introduce myself. I am Ero Shan." "And this is Nalte of Andoo," I replied, "and I am Carson Napier of California." "I have heard of Andoo," he acknowledged. "They raise an exceptionally fine breed of people there, but I never heard of your country. In fact I have never seen a man before with blue eyes and yellow hair. Are all the people of Cal--" "California," I prompted. "--of California like you?" "Oh, no! There are all colors among us, of hair and eyes and skin." "But how can you breed true to type, then?" he demanded. "We don't," I had to admit. "Rather shocking," he said, half to himself. "Immoral--racially immoral. Well, be that as it may, your system seems to have produced a rather fine type at that; and now, if you will come with me, we shall return to Havatoo." "May I ask," I inquired, "if we return as guests or as prisoners?" He smiled, just the shadow of a smile. "Will that make any difference--as to whether you return with me or not?" I glanced up at the armed men behind him and grinned. "None," I replied. "Let us be friends," he said. "You will find justice in Havatoo. If you deserve to remain as a guest, you will be treated as a guest--if not--" he shrugged. * * * * * As we reached the top of the little hillock we saw, just behind it, a long, low car with transverse seats and no top. It was the first motor car that I had seen on Venus. The severity of its streamlines and its lack of ornamentation suggested that it was a military car. As we entered the rear seat with Ero Shan his men took their places in the forward seats. Ero Shan spoke a word of command and the car moved forward. The driver was too far from me, and hidden by the men between us, to permit me to see how he controlled the car, which moved forward over the uneven ground smoothly and swiftly. Presently as we topped a rise of ground we saw the city of Havatoo lying white and beautiful before us. From our elevation I could see that it was built in the shape of a half circle with the flat side lying along the water front, and it was entirely walled. The river curves to the right below the city, and the direct route that we followed returning to it brought us to a gate several miles from the river. The gate itself was of magnificent proportions and an architectural gem, bespeaking a high order of civilization and culture. The city wall, of white limestone, was beautifully carved with scenes that I took to portray the history of the city or of the race that inhabited it, the work having apparently been conceived and executed with the rarest taste; and these carvings extended as far as I could see.