Now, don't look so savage, because you know bargains like that have been made even on our dear old virtuous Mother Earth.

For instance, if you hadn't met us in the middle of the Atlantic----" "That'll do, Zaidie," Redgrave interrupted almost roughly.

"That's not exactly the question, but I see what you mean, and it was a bit silly of me to get angry." "Silly?
Angry?
What do those words mean ?" said the Martian in his slow, passionless, mechanical voice.

"Who are you?
Whence come you ?" "I'll answer the last part first," said Redgrave.

"We come from the earth, the planet which you see after sunset and before sunrise." "Yes, the Silver Star," said the Martian without any note of wonder or surprise in his voice.