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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
161
Immediately
the
Gnomes
which
clung
to
Jaska
and
Sarka
dropped
away,
and
scuttled
into
the
midst
of
the
myriads
that
stood
and
watched.
They
did
not
understand
the
speech
of
these
Earthlings,
but
they
were
unusually
clever
in
comprehending
the
meaning
of
gestures.
"Hold
fast
to
me,
Jaska,"
thought
Sarka
toward
her--and
wondered
anew
as
the
Gnomes
instantly
ceased
their
clucking
sounds--"for
I
am
going
to
try
an
experiment."
Holding
her
hand
still,
he
turned
and
strode
straight
toward
the
huge
cone
out
of
which
rose
the
bluish
column.
Instantly
the
Gnomes
broke
into
a
frightful
clucking
of
tongues,
a
sound
that
mounted
to
ear-drum-breaking
intensity,
and
in
a
trice,
climbing
over
one
another
to
get
into
position,
they
moved
in
between
Sarka
and
the
cone.
So
eager
were
they
to
bar
his
further
progress
that
they
stood
atop
one
another,
until
the
depth
of
them
was
as
tall
as
Sarka
standing
upright.
Yet,
though
they
plainly
said
to
Sarka:
"You
must
not
approach
the
cone,"
they
did
not
seem
to
be
angry
with
their
visitors,
but
only
curious.
Sarka
looked
at
Jaska,
noted
how
wanly
she
smiled.
Then
he
turned,
and
headed
for
the
nearest
of
the
monster
tunnels.
Instantly
he
detected
a
surprising
eagerness
in
the
renewed
clucking
of
tongues,
while
the
Gnomes
raced
ahead,
behind,
all
about
the
two,
capering
like
pet
animals,
showing
these
strangers
the
way
into
the
tunnel.
As
they
entered
it,
Sarka
tried
to
discover
whence
came
the
bluish
glow.
The
floor
seemed
to
be
of
bluish
sandstone,
though
its
color,
too,
might
have
been
caused
by
the
glow.
It
was
warm,
too,
so
warm
that
perspiration
was
breaking
out
on
the
cheeks
of
Sarka.
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