"Hey, Pfluger, what the hell happened?" Retch's startled voice came.
"We've got to cross the corridor to get at him," Parker whispered. "And there are other men in here somewhere."
"Listen!" Rozeno whispered.
Voices, a babble of sound, were coming from behind them.
"The men from the village," Rozeno whispered. "When they ceased fearing the Jezbro, they found the courage to come up here."
The babble grew stronger. Running feet moved along the corridor. Retch shouted somewhere, but the words were lost.
Rising above the other sounds was the cry of a woman—Effra.
Parker cursed beneath his breath as he ran. At the side entrance to the big room where the pool of mercury turned, he stopped, appalled.
The room seemed full of men. Some of them he recognized as coming from the village, others he had never seen before. From their appearance he judged they had come in the boat. Retch was coming through the door that led into the main corridor. The gun in his hands was centered on Effra, who crouched at the key board of the vast machine. There was a smile on Retch's face.