“But anyhow, those lights mean men, don't they?”
“Naturally. But until we know what kind, we're better off right where we are. I'm willing to welcome the coming guest, all right, if he's peaceful. Otherwise, it's powder and ball, hot water, stones and things for him!”
The girl stared a moment at the engineer, while this new idea took root within her brain.
“You--you don't mean,” she faltered at last, “that these may be--savages!”
He started at the word. “What makes you think that?” he parried, striving to spare her all needless alarm.
She pondered a moment, while the fire-dots, like a shoal of swimming stars, drew slowly nearer, nearer the Manhattan shore.
“Tell me, are they savages?”
“How do I know?”
“It's easy enough to see you've got an opinion about it. You think they're savages, don't you?”
“I think it's very possible.”