"A message is all we need," declared Scott. "Just get word to the Earth. They'd root up every plant on the face of the entire globe. They'd...." He stopped abruptly and stared out across the desert. "The rocket," he whispered. "The rocket is going to Earth!" Hugh swung on him fiercely. "What are you...." "We could send a message by the rocket!" yelled Scott. "They always watch for them ... always hoping each one will carry something new. Some new thing from Mars. It's the only way we can get a message back to Earth." "But they won't let us near," protested Hugh. "I've tried to get up close to the cradle when they were launching one and those machines always drove me away. Didn't hurt me ... but threatened." "We have guns," said Scott. "Guns," said Hugh, "wouldn't be worth a damn against them. The bullets would just glance off. Even explosive bullets wouldn't harm them." "Sledges then," said Scott. "We'll make junk out of the damn things. We've got a couple of sledges in the ship." Hugh looked at him levelly. "Okay, kid, let's get going." V The machines paid them no attention. No higher than a man's waist, they curiously resembled grotesque spiders. Gangling rods and arms sprouted out all over them and from their trunks sprouted waving, steel antennae. Overhead hung a swarm of the metallic bugs evidently directing the work of making the rocket ready. "It takes just three minutes or thereabouts from the time they finally have her ready until she blasts," said Hugh. "Whatever we are going to do has to be done in those three minutes. And we've got to hold them off until the rocket blasts. They'll suspect there's something wrong and will try to stop it but if we can hold them off...." "They must already have radioed Earth the rocket is coming," said Scott. "We always got word days in advance. Probably they won't follow up with their location messages but Doc will be watching for it anyhow." They stood tensed, waiting, each grasping a heavy hammer. The space about the cradle was a scene of intense, but efficient activity. Last minute adjustments were made. Readings and settings were checked. Each machine seemed to act by rote, while overhead hung the cloud of humming bugs. "We know what we're to do," said Hugh. "We've simply got to do it." Scott nodded. Hugh shot a glance at him. "Think you can hold them off, kid? It'll take a while to unscrew the inner and outer caps and we have got to get that message inside the inner container or it'll burn when the rocket hits atmosphere." "You just get that message in and the caps back on," said Scott. "I'll hold them off for you." Suddenly the machines scurried back from the cradle leaving a clear space of several yards around it. "Now!" Hugh shouted and the two men charged. The attack was a surprise. Their rush carried the line of machines between them and the cradle.