The Centaurians
Our congratulations seemed to make Saunders uneasy.
"You forget," he interrupted, "our trip to the moon was a failure, a second excursion will not be attempted for several centuries. Eventually they will succeed. Our journey to the moon has been suppressed. When we return to our own hemisphere I shall be sadly regretted by the scientists here, for all their marvelous advancement. I imparted much information and predicted this, their latest failure. Ahem! I haven't done bad, not bad at all; but not for a thousand lives would I journey to the moon again."
"Why didn't you visit the Vespa Belt instead?"
Saunders sniffed. "There was no choice offered," he replied; "but certainly I would have preferred the moon. The Vespa folks are way-back savages, I understand, and a broad expanse of wigwam does not inspire me."
He eyed me sharply when I told him he was wrong, all wrong; that the Belt was the most wonderful portion of this part of the globe. Then I described the art and originality of the people and the peculiarly beautiful mosaic palace of King Benlial. Saunders sniffed. He wasn't interested in the Vespas, and turned quickly to Saxe., who remarked that he was mighty glad we were all together again anyhow, because for some time, having no occupation, he'd been ripe for any mischief.
"The Propellier was completed weeks ago, and I've examined the machine they're going to present to us. It's a wonderful structure of crystal and
309
