"Humph! I guess they're afraid we'll steal it," exclaimed Jack.
"Maybe it's dangerous to touch," added Mark.
The Martians conversed among themselves in low voices, and from the glances they cast at the travelers every now and then, from their great, protruding eyes, it was evident that the little men were discussing the strangers.
"Has yo' folks any adequate perceptionability ob de exteriorness in de inverse ratio ob de objectiveness ob de transportation projection ob our destination?" asked Washington White, breaking a rather lengthy silence.
"Do you mean where are we going?" inquired jack.
"Dat's what I done axed yo'."
"Well, we don't know," went on the lad. "But we seem to be approaching some big city."
Off in the distance, on the side of a hill, which rose from the midst of a great lake or canal, were many glittering buildings. It was a city of large size.
"The question is, what are they going to do with us when they get us there?" spoke Mark. "Maybe they're cannibals."
"They are too highly an educated race for that," replied Mr. Roumann. "No, I fancy they will treat us well. They will want to know about the planet we came from, as well as we want to know about them. I think they will treat us with respect."