He climbed up the hand-and
footholds the sea-monster lamp disclosed, wishing the mermen ahead
would speed up.
The grille at the head of the shaft had been removed, and the invaders
arose one by one into a dim and dusty place of motionless machinery,
which, by all tangible evidence, had not been entered for some time.
But the cautious manner in which the sea people strung out to approach
the far door argued that the same might not be true beyond.
For the first time Raf noticed that his human companion now held one
of the knives of the merpeople, and he drew his stun gun. But he could
not forget the flame-throwers which might at that very moment be
trained upon the other side of that door by the aliens. They might be
walking into a trap.
He half expected one of those disconcerting thought answers from
Dalgard. But the scout was playing safe--nothing must upset the
stranger. Confronted by what had to be done, he might be influenced
into acting for them. So Dalgard strode softly ahead, apparently not
interested in Raf.
One of the mermen worked at the door, using the point of his spear as
a lever.
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