I saw him nod his head and a half smiletouched his
lips as he shot a quick glance in my direction.
ESCAPE US NEVERI now found myself faced by a
problem for which there seemed nosolution.
If you hope to live and escape you will have to
believe me, Isnapped.
We did not have long to wait before the warriors
were upon us. You are absolutely mistaken, replied Sytor. We set forth after dark
that we might escape detection from Morbus. But I did tell you that he had
disappeared, Janai, I said.
Theoretically, it would never ceaseto grow and
spread unless entirely destroyed.
You had better surrender, he said, and come back
with me. You will move to the palace immediately and commence the transport ofyour
troops forthwith.
There was a time that I did not know where he
was.
Then he raised his voice andshouted for
help.
And presently, in the light of the farther moon, I
saw threehormads approaching. Numerically, the odds were all in theirfavor; but
really they had no chance.
I had known him fairly well in the palace. You will
move to the palace immediately and commence the transport ofyour troops
forthwith.
Eventually it would cover the entire surface of the
planet,destroying all other life.
Once in the palace of Ay-mad, Janai and I would
belost.
I thought that they were onlygrumbling among
themselves and heaping abuse upon me. It wasentirely possible that we might pass
them without being aware of it.
I was quite sure that we could avoid neither notice
nor suspicion. You two may accompany me, or you may remain on this
island.
To me, as to many others, he seemed immortal. They
all decided to accompany me, Sytor reluctantly. Sytor and Gan Had took their stand
beside me.
He was cunning and cruel, but lacked physical
courage.
What are you going to do with thatequipment? He
paid no attention to that, but went on.
We had come this far, however; and there could be
no turning back. They looked very glum, and neither made any reply as I crawled
ashoreamong the concealing bushes.