With a quick movement it swung toward them.
Rusty broke his trance. He leaped aside. A tentacle slapped across his face as he sprawled into the mire.
He started up, saw the insect crouched upon the writhing form of a Martian. Shrill, animal screams cut the air as the red man struggled frantically to escape the tightening white claws. The gaping man drew close.
"Get him, Lothar!" shouted Spike from the edge of the jungle.
The eight-foot Uranian plodded to the thing, short legs working rapidly. With a massive hand, he caught one stalk-like feeler, and wrenched and twisted it from the globose body.
Holding the wriggling Martian, the spider flung itself upon Lothar. It landed upon him with all its pulpy weight. The Martian quit screaming, lay still. His eyes protruded and Rusty saw that his face, normally light red, was slowly darkening.
The ghastly pale insect lay upon the Uranian body, covering his chest and arms. It did not move. The eyes glazed. Then slowly the creature rolled over upon crumpled legs. It twitched feebly.
Lothar arose, his upper body a mass of pink, gelatinous fluid. Rusty revolted at the gory figure.
The Martian was dead. His fellow red man searched his pockets, shrugged and did not look at him again.
Lothar returned from a pool where he had washed away the "blood."