these wondrous creations had nothing in common with the crude
half-brutes which now occupied them.

Sola motioned me to be seated upon a pile of silks near the center
of the room, and, turning, made a peculiar hissing sound, as though
signaling to someone in an adjoining room. In response to her call
I obtained my first sight of a new Martian wonder. It waddled in
on its ten short legs, and squatted down before the girl like an
obedient puppy. The thing was about the size of a Shetland pony,
but its head bore a slight resemblance to that of a frog, except
that the jaws were equipped with three rows of long, sharp tusks.




CHAPTER V

I ELUDE MY WATCH DOG



Sola stared into the brute's wicked-looking eyes, muttered a word or
two of command, pointed to me, and left the chamber. I could not but
wonder what this ferocious-looking monstrosity might do when left
alone in such close proximity to such a relatively tender morsel of
meat; but my fears were groundless, as the beast, after surveying me
intently for a moment, crossed the room to the only exit which led
to the street, and lay down full length across the threshold.

This was my first experience with a Martian watch dog, but it was