Treacherous as the Martians might appear in their fervent desire to save their posterity when the chance seemed suddenly to be placed before them, they were Werran’s own countrymen and Mars his native soil, and nothing would induce him to leave it, and as the voyagers sought out and hovered over the locality from which he had been kidnapped, the natives again congregated in crowds. They still appeared antagonistic, but bearing past experiences in mind they were not aggressive, but stood sullenly watching the ship’s every movement as Werran was gently floated down. Then the _Regina_ rose and over the house where Werran lived a dark object was seen to fall and then rest. A few seconds later there was a blinding flash, and, brilliant in the glaring sunshine even, there shot downwards a powerful red light. Then the _Regina_ soared upward like a giant bird, becoming smaller and smaller till lost to view. Still the light poured down its powerful ray, continuing to illumine Werran’s house for three days and nights, and when this faded and finally went out in a series of fizzles and splutters, still the metal cup, inverted like a mushroom, remained perfectly poised, floating over the house as a further reminder to him and his warlike compatriots of the _Regina_, although they needed no souvenir to keep her memory green, for as long as doomed Mars holds sensate beings, so long will the story of the _Regina_ figure in Martian history. CHAPTER VIII A JOVIAN BUG “The wise and active conquer difficulties By daring to oppose them.” (+Rowe.+) Having arrived at Derwent the four wanderers dedicated a few rooms at Dennis’s house for use as a laboratory. By this means the project could proceed without exciting notice and remark, for they wisely concluded that it would be soon enough to let the public into the secret if and when the experiments were successful and not before, so that in case the venture did not bring the result anticipated they could laugh at each other without the public joining in. Accordingly Godfrey took up his quarters there, and arrangements were set on foot for the immediate commencement of the cultivation of the wonderful grub which they called by its Jovian name of “Gorokakak,” signifying ‘small fire-eater.’