"I see," Atwood murmured. "But Ah-li, where do you get that _Xarite_? Near here?"
"Oh, yes." She gestured toward the dark little line of hills off to the left. "It is there. Most of it, in grottos underground. You see, it is not far."
"And what's it like? Loose in the caves?"
He held his breath for her answer. "Yes," she said. "The _Drall-stone_. It lies loose in the caves."
Triumph swept him. He could get his insulated cylinder packed with _Xarite_, and then get back to his Spaceship and away. And take Ah-li with him.
"Listen," he began, "show me the way to one of those caves. I want to see--"
"Here is water, for us to swim," she interrupted. "The flesh of the _genes_ is still on us."
Heaven knew he had been conscious of it. A little stream of purplish phosphorescent water, impregnated no doubt with the _Xarite_, came babbling down the slope here from the distant hills. He and Ah-li plunged in; came out, with the purple phosphorescence of the water dripping from them.
Atwood breathed with relief. "That's certainly better." Now, if he could get her to lead him to the _Xarite_ caves.
"Ah-lee. Ah-lee." It was the sound of a guttural voice calling from the dimness of the rocks near at hand. The startled Atwood turned to see a group of small stocky figures approaching.
The Marlans. With Ah-li gripping him he stood as the figures came forward and ranged themselves in a jabbering group around him and the girl. They were about five feet tall. Cast somewhat in Earth-human mould, with crooked heavy legs, and swart, putty-colored skin. The body was wide-shouldered, thick-chested. The round, hairless head was set low in a depression of the shoulders. The face was rough-hewn of feature, with up-turned snout-like nose, and small, watery reddish eyes.
They walked with a sluggishness of heavy, solid tread. Quite evidently their bodies were a wholly different density from that of Earthmen. Atwood guessed that here they weighed what might be called three hundred pounds; compared to which his own weight was ten or fifteen, and that of Ah-li not more than five or eight. Beside them, with their swinging, ponderous movements, Atwood suddenly felt spindly and birdlike. How obvious now, that these primitive people would have accepted the beautiful little Earthgirl as a Goddess! Her coming from the sky in a thing which struck the ground and burst into flame. Her seeming miraculous ability to leap into the air. Her size, and yet her lightness. Her ability to swim; to leap into the vine-tops and run upon their frail swaying surface.