herself　to　train　us　together。
  Her　prize　consisted　in　a　male　about　four　feet　tall；　very
  strong　and　physically　perfect；　also；　he　learned　quickly；　and　we
  had　considerable　amusement；　at　least　I　did；　over　the　keen
  rivalry　we　displayed。　　The　Martian　language；　as　I　have　said；
  is　extremely　simple；　and　in　a　week　I　could　make　all　my
  wants　known　and　understand　nearly　everything　that　was　said
  to　me。　　Likewise；　under　Sola's　tutelage；　I　developed　my
  telepathic　powers　so　that　I　shortly　could　sense　practically
  everything　that　went　on　around　me。
  What　surprised　Sola　most　in　me　was　that　while　I　could
  catch　telepathic　messages　easily　from　others；　and　often　when
  they　were　not　intended　for　me；　no　one　could　read　a　jot　from
  my　mind　under　any　circumstances。　　At　first　this　vexed　me；　but
  later　I　was　very　glad　of　it；　as　it　gave　me　an　undoubted
  advantage　over　the　Martians。
  CHAPTER　VIII
  A　FAIR　CAPTIVE　FROM　THE　SKY
  The　third　day　after　the　incubator　ceremony　we　set　forth
  toward　home；　but　scarcely　had　the　head　of　the　procession
  debouched　into　the　open　ground　before　the　city　than　orders
  were　given　for　an　immediate　and　hasty　return。　　As　though
  trained　for　years　in　this　particular　evolution；　the　green
  Martians　melted　like　mist　into　the　spacious　doorways　of　the
  nearby　buildings；　until；　in　less　than　three　minutes；　the　entire
  cavalcade　of　chariots；　mastodons　and　mounted　warriors　was　nowhere
  to　be　seen。
  Sola　and　I　had　entered　a　building　upon　the　front　of　the　city；
  in　fact；　the　same　one　in　which　I　had　had　my　encounter
  with　the　apes；　and；　wishing　to　see　what　had　caused　the　sudden
  retreat；　I　mounted　to　an　upper　floor　and　peered　from　the
  window　out　over　the　valley　and　the　hills　beyond；　and　there
  I　saw　the　cause　of　their　sudden　scurrying　to　cover。　　A　huge
  craft；　long；　low；　and　gray…painted；　swung　slowly　over　the
  crest　of　the　nearest　hill。　　Following　it　came　another；　and
  another；　and　another；　until　twenty　of　them；　swinging　low
  above　the　ground；　sailed　slowly　and　majestically　toward　us。
  Each　carried　a　strange　banner　swung　from　stem　to　stern
  above　the　upper　works；　and　upon　the　prow　of　each　was
  painted　some　odd　device　that　gleamed　in　the　sunlight　and
  showed　plainly　even　at　the　distance　at　which　we　were　from
  the　vessels。　　I　could　see　figures　crowding　the　forward　decks
  and　upper　works　of　the　air　craft。　　Whether　they　had　discovered
  us　or　simply　were　looking　at　the　deserted　city　I　could　not　say；
  but　in　any　event　they　received　a　rude　reception；　for　suddenly
  and　without　warning　the　green　Martian　warriors　fired　a　terrific
  volley　from　the　windows　of　the　buildings　facing　the　little
  valley　across　which　the　great　ships　were　so　peacefully　advancing。
  Instantly　the　scene　changed　as　by　magic；　the　foremost
  vessel　swung　broadside　toward　us；　and　bringing　her　guns　into
  play　returned　our　fire；　at　the　same　time　moving　parallel　to
  our　front　for　a　short　distance　and　then　turning　back　with　the
  evident　intention　of　completing　a　great　circle　which　would
  bring　her　up　to　position　once　more　opposite　our　firing　line；
  the　other　vessels　followed　in　her　wake；　each　one　opening　upon
  us　as　she　swung　into　position。　　Our　own　fire　never　diminished；
  and　I　doubt　if　twenty…five　per　cent　of　our　shots　went　wild。　　It
  had　never　been　given　me　to　see　such　deadly　accuracy　of　aim；
  and　it　seemed　as　though　a　little　figure　on　one　of　the　craft
  dropped　at　the　explosion　of　each　bullet；　while　the　banners　and
  upper　works　dissolved　in　spurts　of　flame　as　the　irresistible
  projectiles　of　our　warriors　mowed　through　them。
  The　fire　from　the　vessels　was　most　ineffectual；　owing；　as　I
  afterward　learned；　to　the　unexpected　suddenness　of　the　first
  volley；　which　caught　the　ship's　crews　entirely　unprepared　and
  the　sighting　apparatus　of　the　guns　unprotected　from　the
  deadly　aim　of　our　warriors。
  It　seems　that　each　green　warrior　has　certain　objective　points
  for　his　fire　under　relatively　identical　circumstances　of　warfare。
  For　example；　a　proportion　of　them；　always　the　best　marksmen；
  direct　their　fire　entirely　upon　the　wireless　finding　and
  sighting　apparatus　of　the　big　guns　of　an　attacking　naval
  force；　another　detail　attends　to　the　smaller　guns　in　the　same
  way；　others　pick　off　the　gunners；　still　others　the　officers；
  while　certain　other　quotas　concentrate　their　attention　upon　the
  other　members　of　the　crew；　upon　the　upper　works；　and　upon　the
  steering　gear　and　propellers。
  Twenty　minutes　after　the　first　volley　the　great　fleet　swung
  trailing　off　in　the　direction　from　which　it　had　first　appeared。
  Several　of　the　craft　were　limping　perceptibly；　and　seemed
  but　barely　under　the　control　of　their　depleted　crews。　　Their　fire
  had　ceased　entirely　and　all　their　energies　seemed　focused
  upon　escape。　　Our　warriors　then　rushed　up　to　the　roofs　of　the
  buildings　which　we　occupied　and　followed　the　retreating　armada
  with　a　continuous　fusillade　of　deadly　fire。
  One　by　one；　however；　the　ships　managed　to　dip　below　the
  crests　of　the　outlying　hills　until　only　one　barely　moving　craft
  was　in　sight。　　This　had　received　the　brunt　of　our　fire　and
  seemed　to　be　entirely　unmanned；　as　not　a　moving　figure　was
  visible　upon　her　decks。　　Slowly　she　swung　from　her　course；
  circling　back　toward　us　in　an　erratic　and　pitiful　manner。
  Instantly　the　warriors　ceased　firing；　for　it　was　quite　apparent
  that　the　vessel　was　entirely　helpless；　and；　far　from　being　in　a
  position　to　inflict　harm　upon　us；　she　could　not　even　control
  herself　sufficiently　to　escape。
  As　she　neared　the　city　the　warriors　rushed　out　upon　the
  plain　to　meet　her；　but　it　was　evident　that　she　still　was　too　high
  for　them　to　hope　to　reach　her　decks。　　From　my　vantage　point　in
  the　window　I　could　see　the　bodies　of　her　crew　strewn　about；
  although　I　could　not　make　out　what　manner　of　creatures　they
  might　be。　　Not　a　sign　of　life　was　manifest　upon　her　as　she
  drifted　slowly　with　the　light　breeze　in　a　southeasterly
  direction。
  She　was　drifting　some　fifty　feet　above　the　ground；　followed
  by　all　but　some　hundred　of　the　warriors　who　had　been　ordered
  back　to　the　roofs　to　cover　the　possibility　of　a　return　of　the
  fleet；　or　of　reinforcements。　　It　soon　became　evident　that　she
  would　strike　the　face　of　the　buildings　about　a　mile　south　of
  our　position；　and　as　I　watched　the　progress　of　the　chase　I
  saw　a　number　of　warriors　gallop　ahead；　dismount　and　enter
  the　building　she　seemed　destined　to　touch。
  As　the　craft　neared　the　building；　and　just　before　she　struck；
  the　Martian　warriors　swarmed　upon　her　from　the　windows；
  and　with　their　great　spears　eased　the　shock　of　the　collision；
  and　in　a　few　moments　they　had　thrown　out　grappling　hooks
  and　the　big　boat　was　being　hauled　to　ground　by　their　fellows
  below。
  After　making　her　fast；　they　swarmed　the　sides　and　searched
  the　vessel　from　stem　to　stern。　　I　could　see　them　examining　the
  dead　sailors；　evidently　for　signs　of　life；　and　presently　a　party
  of　them　appeared　from　below　dragging　a　little　figure　among
  them。　　The　creature　was　considerably　less　than　half　as　tall　as
  the　green　Martian　warriors；　and　from　my　balcony　I　could　see
  that　it　walked　erect　upon　two　legs　and　surmised　that　it　was
  some　new　and　strange　Martian　monstrosity　with　which　I　had
  not　as　yet　become　acquainted。
  They　removed　their　prisoner　to　the　ground　and　then　commenced
  a　systematic　rifling　of　the　vessel。　　This　operation　required
  several　hours；　during　which　time　a　number　of　the　chariots
  were　requisitioned　to　transport　the　loot；　which　consisted
  in　arms；　ammunition；　silks；　furs；　jewels；　strangely　carved
  stone　vessels；　and　a　quantity　of　solid　foods　and　liquids；
  including　many　casks　of　water；　the　first　I　had　seen　since　my
  advent　upon　Mars。
  After　the　last　load　had　been　removed　the　warriors　made
  lines　fast　to　the　craft　and　towed　her　far　out　into　the　valley　in
  a　southwesterly　direction。　　A　few　of　them　then　boarded　her　and
  were　busily　engaged　in　what　appeared；　from　my　distant　position；
  as　the　emptying　of　the　contents　of　various　carboys　upon　the
  dead　bodies　of　the　sailors　and　over　the　decks　and　works
  of　the　vessel。
  This　operation　concluded；　they　hastily　clambered　over　her
  sides；　sliding　down　the　guy　ropes　to　the　ground。　　The　last
  warrior　to　leave　the　deck　turned　and　threw　something　back
  upon　the　vessel；　waiting　an　instant　to　note　the　outcome　of
  his　act。　　As　a　faint　spurt　of　flame　rose　from　the　point　where
  the　missile　struck　he　swung　over　the　side　and　was　quickly
  upon　the　ground。　　Scarcely　had　he　alighted　than　the　guy　ropes
  were　simultaneous　released；　and　the　great　warship；　lightened
  by　the　removal　of　the　loot；　soared　majestically　into　the　air；
  her　decks　and　upper　works　a　mass　of　roaring　flames。
  Slowly　she　drifted　to　the　southeast；　rising　higher　and　higher
  as　the　flames　ate　away　her　wooden　parts　and　diminished　the
  weight　upon　her。　　Ascending　to　the　roof　of　the　building　I
  watched　her　for　hours；　until　finally　she　was　lost　in　the　dim
  vistas　of　th