"Hold it," ordered Lamoureux, "I'm beginning to get this."
The Mercurian had scratched nine parallel lines, only a few of them visible on the rocky ground. Now it scratched other lines, perpendicular to these.
Lamoureux barked, "A checkerboard! That's what it is! Has anybody got one?"
Marsden had a pocket chess set. He took it out. The Mercurian's eyes brightened. It sat down suddenly on the hard ground.
"I'll be damned," said Lamoureux. "He wants to play a game. Go ahead, Marsden. Entertain our guest."
The men were grinning again. Marsden squatted down on the ground and began to set up the men. The Mercurian stretched out two of its paws—three-fingered affairs, the fingers almost human—and seized one white chessman and one black. It hid the paws behind its back, then held them out again.
Marsden chose the white, and moved forward the queen's pawn. The Mercurian countered and the game was on.
