Still, we may as well have our own ready. Andrew,
get that port Maxim ready. I hope we shan't want it, but we may. I don't
quite like the look of these people."
"They're very ugly, aren't they?" said Zaidie; "and really you can't
tell which are men and which are women. I suppose they've civilised
themselves out of everything that's nice, and are just scientific and
utilitarian and everything that's horrid."
"I shouldn't wonder. They look to me as if they've just got common
sense, as we call it, and hadn't any other sense; but, at any rate, if
they don't behave themselves, we shall be able to teach them manners of
a sort, though we may possibly have done that to some extent already."
As he said this Redgrave went into the conning-tower, and the _Astronef_
moved from above the air-ship, and dropped gently into the crimson grass
about a hundred feet from her. Then the ports were opened, the guns,
which Murgatroyd had loaded, were swung into position, and they armed
themselves with a brace of revolvers each, in case of accident.
"What delicious air this is!" said her ladyship, as the ports were
opened and she took her first breath of the Martian atmosphere. "It's
ever so much nicer than ours. Oh, Lenox, it's just like breathing
champagne."
Redgrave looked at her with an admiration which was tempered by a sudden
apprehension.
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