CHAPTER V.
BLOSSOMS.
When daylight came our friends were still in existence and gathered about our houses. I had feared that they would vanish as a dream of night.
They led us to a vale, hidden between perpendicular walls of rock. Miles and miles the cleft extended, and the surface of the lowland was filled with a strange-looking growth. Tall pods, smooth and satiny, in color pale green, stood like soldiers in an army. The pods were as much as ten feet in height and shaped like the husks of an ear of corn.
Walking among these pods we heard confused murmurs and calls, as if the green things themselves had voices.
Then we came upon one of the pods burst open; from the husk crawled forth a winged man, blind and helpless, his huge wings useless and cumbersome.
I saw the truth. These people were a living vegetable—a product of the soil.
After we had somewhat recovered from our consternation, we began to consult. It was blossoming time; we must harvest our people.
Thousands of subjects for Regan; thousands of artisans for me! Sailors for air-ships, toilers at looms! A host of people for Father Renaudin to preach to and to teach. A crowd to fill a vast cathedral. A populace!
We remained among them for some weeks, until they were strong enough to fly away over wood and mountain isle. We taught them our language, engrafted our ideas upon them and instilled our desires into the minds and hearts of this new multitude.
We were earnest, politic workers; for once every one of us joined in the one great purpose—to civilize the people that we need not live in a world alone!