Verger took advantage of this interlude to make a thorough examination of the weird tentacle which was still coiled about the Goddard, shackling it firmly to the unfriendly satellite.
Calling to Anderson, he said, "You're a scientist, Professor. Suppose you give this thing the once over and see if you can make anything out of it."
The inventor inspected the snake-like object minutely, using the magnifying glass to supplement his naturally keen vision. Finally he remarked: "It looks like protoplasm."
"You mean you think it's something living?"
Anderson nodded.
"But how could anything living be so enormous?" Verger doubted. "Surely you don't believe that an underground monster could have a tentacle as big as that?"
"Perhaps the satellite itself is a living organism," Anderson suggested.
LeDoux, who had overheard the conversation, remarked, "How utterly ridiculous!"
"I wouldn't say that," Verger disagreed. "I've seen too many strange things in my time to call anything ridiculous."
"But if this satellite was really alive, we'd certainly know about it," LeDoux protested.