"I shall not forget," said Corpang.

Maskull gazed down at the boat. "Are we to get in?"

"Gently, my friend. It's only canework and skin."

"First of all, you might enlighten me as to how you have contrived to
dispense with the laws of gravitation."

Haunte smiled sarcastically. "A secret in your ear, Maskull. All
laws are female. A true male is an outlaw--outside the law."

"I don't understand."

"The great body of the earth is continually giving out female
particles, and the male parts of rocks and living bodies are equally
continually trying to reach them. That's gravitation."

"Then how do you manage with your boat?"

"My two male stones do the work. The one underneath the boat
prevents it from falling to the ground; the one in the stem shuts it
off from solid objects in the rear. The only part of the boat
attracted by any part of the earth is the bow, for that's the only
part the light of the male stones does not fall on. So in that
direction the boat travels."

"And what are these wondrous male stones?"