Right after that we saw the Shadow Men, inside the dome. Something of that which held us at last became visible. CHAPTER TWO The Destroying Shadows It looked like something new in shadow-play, or motion pictures. The shadows looked like men falling in in close formation, save that there was an uncanny shapelessness about them. We could tell that they walked like other men, for we could see the swinging of their legs. But for the rest of their bodies, well, somebody had worked out a great system of camouflage. Heads were just black blobs rising out of shoulders that were stooped and round. We could not tell whether the group had formed facing us or with their backs to us. A chill crept over and through the dome as the formations fell in. The sounds in our walkie-talkies grew in volume. I think we all sensed menace in the words that were not human words, in tones that were not human tones. We could sense growing menace, and intonations of command. We could make out nothing resembling any weapons we knew, but never once did we doubt that the shadows were forming against us. We forgot, while the shadows closed ranks, that we had been fed, watered, kept warm. This was no friendly demonstration. The Shadow Men started closing in. I gave the command for which my men had been waiting, and for the first time the sailors came out of the landing craft to take part. A vast circle of shadows closed in on us as we formed for defense. Old-timers remembered the ancient "Form for Bolo Attack" as we arranged ourselves in concentric circles, the automatic weapons outside, riflemen behind them with bayonets fixed. There was a rifle and bayonet for each man, including the automatic weaponers, for use if the automatics went out of action. "No firing until I give the word," I said. "Music!" "Music," in the Navy, of which the Marine Corps is a proud part, designates a trumpeter or drummer or bugler--whoever beats to quarters or blows the bugle-calls. "Here, sir," said Trumpeter Krane. "Blow something," I said, "It doesn't matter what. I'm just curious about what effect it will have." "How about 'Boots and Saddles', sir?" he asked. There was a snicker, the suggestion of laughter from the marines. Trumpeter Krane did a good job with "Boots and Saddles". It was a brave sound, but it had no effect whatever on the advancing Shadow Men. As the big circle contracted, every other Shadow Man dropped back, forming an outer circle. One thing that seemed to make clear to us: the Shadow Men had mass. They occupied space. Bullets, then, should have some effect on them. "Preble!" "Aye, aye, sir!" "Scatter some bullets ahead of those things, far enough ahead so that they'll ricochet over them."