"Don't touch 'em," said Van Gundy, trembling. "I'll bet they're deadly poison."
"They look delicious," said Captain Torkel, stuffing three specimens in his knapsack, "but we'll test them first."
Van Gundy screamed.
The others whirled to look at him.
Van Gundy, speechless, pointed with a trembling forefinger.
A brown, smiling face broke out of the fern foliage. Then another appeared, and another and another.
A score or more of brown-skinned humanoids walked up to them.
IV
The Sirians were dressed in loin cloths as bright and multi-colored as the tear-shaped meadow flowers. Their resemblance to Earthmen made Captain Torkel gasp.