"Come," said Edmund, in a low voice, "it is best that we should go aboard
their craft. We are in their hands, and luckily so, for they will take us
where we want to go."

Accordingly, all, including Juba, passed upon the deck of the air ship.
You will readily imagine the intensity of interest with which we studied
the faces and forms of those whom I will call our captors. Now that we
were in contact with them we could better observe their resemblances to,
and differences from, ourselves. In all the main features of body they
were human beings, but of a somewhat superior stature. Noses and mouths
were small and delicate; hair long, silken, and either light gold or rich
chestnut in color; skin white and smooth; ears small and peculiarly
formed, with a curious mobility; and eyes large, round, invariably light
blue, and possessing that strange luminousness of which I have already
spoken. One could not look directly into these eyes without a certain
shrinking, for some wonderful power seemed to radiate from them, and one
had the feeling that the intelligence behind them could dip to the bottom
of his mind. We were gently treated and could perceive no indication of
peril to ourselves. Nevertheless, we were glad to feel our pistols in our
pockets. There were seats on the deck to which we were civilly conducted,
but Edmund refused to sit.

"I must see the commander herself," he whispered. "These are only
subordinates, and I cannot deal with them. It will not do to leave the
car here at the mercy of the waves. I must find the means of making them
understand that it is to go with us."

Accordingly, he approached the captain, and we watched him with beating
hearts, not being able to divine what an attempt to dictate terms on our