The Chief Councillor nodded judicially. "The Earthman is right. The truth or falsity of this message is beyond Earth's power to dissemble. We shall see and judge for ourselves. You leaders of the Earth party, come with us. Your crew shall remain here." He addressed his own warriors. "Show them every comfort--but guard them well. For if this message turns out to be a hoax--" He let his words dwindle into silence, but the silence was pregnant with meaning. Thus it was that the members of the Jovian Supreme Council and the arbiters of the _Liberty's_ course convened presently within Pangré's magnificent observatory. Here, awed, they saw proof of the great and learned culture which was Jupiter's. For not even upon Earth nor sage Mars had ever been erected an edifice so complete and so impressive as this. The size of the reflecting telescope to which a hurriedly summoned Chief Astronomer led them was one to stagger the imagination. It was greater by half again than the monstrous tube constructed by Kang's people on the desert planet. So huge was it that a 200 inch 'scope, equal in size to the proud but primitive instrument used by Earthmen at Mount Palomar in the Twentieth Century, was here employed simply as a spotter for the larger telescope. But that, Gary Lane knew, was as it must be, since Jupiter was so far removed from its primary. And that this instrument sighted by infra-red radiation he also knew. In no other way could its vision pierce the murky pall of cloud banks enswaddling the planet. * * * * * All these were but vagrant thoughts flickering through his brain as the gigantic tube was brought to bear upon the desired image. And then, as all took seats before a huge reflecting screen upon which the enmirrored vision was projected, he gaped in wonderment to see the heart of their solar system brought so near that it seemed scarce more than a day's journey. Gigantic was the sun, its space-filtered radiance a blinding sheen which covered almost half the screen before them. Large, too, and visible plainly to the naked eyes was the gleaming, innermost planet Mercury. When first Gary looked, Mercury seemed and acted in all ways natural. But then.... A cry escaped his lips. Because, contrary to all sound common sense and experience, the glittering orb of Mercury could be actually seen to move! And that movement was not the steady, normal hurtling of a planet in steadfast course about its primary. Mercury was bobbing, weaving, twisting, shaking itself like a gigantic silver terrier tugging to break free of an invisible leash! For breathless minutes the assemblage watched the staggering spectacle being enacted before them. Then the Jovian Supreme Councillor spoke, his voice sincere in apology. "Gentlemen of Earth, forgive us. We have wronged you. We did not, could not, comprehend the magnitude--"