were so gentle and pleasing that we recognized at once their high culture.

The vessel was soon under way and made rapid progress, and though our
voyage was not very long, it proved to be an exceedingly profitable one to
the doctor and me, for we learned more, through conversation with our new
friends, about the history and condition of Mars than we could have gained
in any other way. The men were all kind to us and seemed to be all equally
able to impart information, but most of our intercourse was with Thorwald.
He gave us much of his time, at intervals as he could be spared from work,
for every man helped at the service of the ship. There seemed to be no
system of leadership, but all appeared to know what was to be done, and
did it without orders and without clashing.

As we entered into conversation about the earth and Mars, I was surprised
to find the doctor taking his full share in it with his usual
intelligence. His questions and answers were all so pertinent that I
should have supposed his mind was entirely unaffected, had I not known to
the contrary. When I saw he could hold his own so well, I determined to
take the first opportunity when we were alone to ask him again who Mona
was.




CHAPTER VI

A REMARKABLE PEOPLE.


The conversation with our new friends was not all on one side, for we had