With it they accomplished much that the world-dwellers
have to bring about by great labor.
By inquiry, after they had learned the language, the travelers
found out that Cardite was regarded with much reverence, and
there was a tradition that if any of it was taken away from Mars,
the planet would disappear.
"No wonder they didn't want us to get any," said Mr. Roumann.
"But I'm going to have some, for all that. It's all nonsense to
think any harm can come from taking it. It will not injure their
planet, and it will be a fortune to us. They must have a lot of
it, for they told us that all the cities on Mars, and there are
several of them, are lighted and heated by it."
"But how are you going to get it." asked Mark.
"By going a different route. I'm going to get a boat, and go by
water. I've found out how to run one of their boats by means of
the red substance, and some day we'll sail over the lake to the
hills and get some Cardite."
They waited another week, and, as they found less and less
attention was paid to them from day to day, they decided to make
an attempt to get some of the treasure.
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