Nightspore looked bored. "The valve became unfastened. The contents
have escaped through the open window toward the sun, carrying the
bottle with them. But the bottle will be burned up by the earth's
atmosphere, and the contents will dissipate, and will not reach the
sun."

Maskull listened attentively, and his smile faded. "Does anything
prevent us from experimenting with this other bottle?"

"Replace it in the cupboard," said Nightspore. "Arcturus is still
below the horizon, and you would succeed only in wrecking the house."

Maskull remained standing before the window, pensively gazing out at
the sunlit moors.

"Krag treats me like a child," he remarked presently. "And perhaps I
really am a child.... My cynicism must seem most amusing to Krag.
But why does he leave me to find out all this by myself--for I don't
include you, Nightspore.... But what time will Krag be here?"

"Not before dark, I expect," his friend replied.



Chapter 4

THE VOICE

It was by this time past three o'clock. Feeling hungry, for they had