It had two stubby legs, two long arms. Its head was pear-shaped and hairless, and its body was an ovoid ball, bloated and ugly. But its eyes were almost human except that they seemed to flash fire.
Terry halted, facing the creature.
"Terryhall of the earth!" The creature's voice echoed through the ferns.
"You—you speak English!" The words that fell from Terry's lips mirrored his surprise. In his mind flashed a name for this creature. Something like Zombie, the living dead.
"Not Zombie. Name is Chomby. I am not dead, not even living dead."
"You read my mind! That's what I've felt for the past hour. You were studying my thoughts, and you learned my language by reading my mind!"
Chomby's rubbery lips tried to imitate a grin, but it achieved only a hideous travesty.
Chomby's hand rubbed over the leathery rags he wore for clothing and reached toward the earthman. The gesture was unmistakable. Chomby wanted to shake hands. The Mercurian had been thorough in his probe of Terry's brain. His actions were more human than Terry's under the circumstances, for Terry was afraid.
"Nothing to fear from Chomby," spoke the Mercurian.