“I believe our captive does not relish the present aspect of affairs,” remarked Godfrey, “see, he’s white to the very lips,” and they saw the man pale with fear, brave as they knew him to be. Godfrey went over to him and kneeling beside him asked, by telepathy, if he understood their language, when he responded that he knew all they were saying when they were thinking deeply of it, but when they spoke lightly, without concentrated thought, he could understand nothing. So Godfrey told him how sorry they were to have caused him pain but it was unavoidable. “Cheer up, old fellow,” he continued, “we are all friends here, and all we want of you is to act as interpreter on Jupiter, for we can neither speak nor telepath with them. We’ll bring you back as sound as a bell; I’ll teach you all about electricity on the way, and you shall teach us your language and interpret for us, so we shall neither be under any obligation. We are just off to Jupiter again, and my friends here will wear a tunnel in the ether where we keep going and coming, if we make the journey many more times. You’re pleased? that’s good—it looks healthier,” and he offered the exhausted man a reviving tablet. CHAPTER VII THE STORY OF A STAR “Methought I saw Life, swiftly treading over endless space.” (+Hood.+) Jupiter now lay before them as they pointed straight for his surface, and the Martian warrior soon recovered sufficiently to walk to the window and watch the great belted mass. His name was Werran, and he was an expert general of high standing, much esteemed for his numerous acts of bravery. When he looked outside and beheld the countless worlds and planetoids crossing and recrossing in various orbits he became lost in thought. He had seen them through telescopes hundreds of times and knew their courses, recognising many of the globes from their positions and configurations, their distances and progress he also knew; but when he saw them, as from a stationary ship, speeding towards and passing them in a flash, the ship itself overtaking and passing with terrific speed all those travelling in the same direction, he could scarcely realise it. This, however, was nothing to what happened a few hours later.