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“Yes, it’s a bottle I can see it quite clearly It’s lass It’s corked; I can see the seal There’s soe, obviously Jinn, we’ve got to get hold of it!”

Jinn was of the same opinion and had already embarked on some skillful maneuvers to place the sphere on the trajectory of the unusual body He soon succeeded and then reduced his own speed to enable it to catch up with hi suit and made her way out of the sail by the double trapdoor There, holding onto a rope with one hand and brandishing a long-handled scoop in the other, she stood in readiness to retrieve the bottle

It was not the first tie bodies, and the scoop had already been in use Sailing at low speed, sometimes completely motionless, they had enjoyed surprises and made discoveries that were precluded to travelers by rocket In her net Phyllis had already gathered up rements of meteorites that had come from the depths of the universe, and pieces of satellites launched at the outset of the conquest of space She was very proud of her collection; but this was the first ti a e—of that she was certain She tre like a spider on the end of its thread as-she shouted down the telephone to her companion:

“Slower, JinnNo, a bit faster than that, it’s going to pass usStarboardNow hard to portHold itI’ve got it!”

She gave a triumphant cry and came back inside with her trophy

It was a largish bottle and its neck had been carefully sealed A roll of paper could be seen inside

“Jinn, break it open, hurry up!” Phyllis begged, sta her foot

Less i wax But when the bottle was thus opened, he saw that the paper was stuck fast and could not be shaken out He therefore yielded to his lass with a hammer The paper unrolled of its own accord It consisted of a large nu The e of the Earth, which Jinn knew perfectly, having been partly educated on that planet

An unco to read a docuruous manner; but Phyllis’ state of exciteuage of the Earth and needed his help

“Jinn, please!”

He reduced the volume of the sphere so that it floated idly in space, made sure that there was no obstacle in front of thean to read the manuscript

CHAPTER TWO

I a thise that isthe human race Lord have pity on us!