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Our party was joined by scores of other Aranians, who darted in from side passages; some going ahead, some closing in behind us, until the tunnel was filled with the peculiar brittle sound of their walking.

“They don’t lack for numbers,” muttered Correy softly. “Think they’ll make trouble, sir?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. I showed them what the ray would do; I believe it threw a scare into the old chap. Did you tell them what we would do if they played any tricks, Tipene?”

“Certainly; my own life is endangered, isn’t it?” snapped the Zenian.

“It certainly is,” I told him grimly. “And not only by the spiders, if you make any suspicious moves.”

W

Each of these was closed, or could be closed, by a circular door such as those which concealed the outer entrance to the tunnels, save that these were swung on a side hinge. From the central passage we were following, smaller ones branched off in all directions: to the left, to the right; upward and downward. And all were lined with the cubicles, from which a constantly increasing army of Aranians emerged to accompany us.