It was nearing nightfall when they came within sight of the huts.  At a distance of perhaps half a mile they stopped and stared hard at the scene ahead of them.

“Hear ye anything, Cunora?” asked the older woman.

The girl’s keen ears had caught a sound.  “Methinks something hath aroused our people.  I wonder—­”

“Cunora!” gasped Rolla excitedly.  “Think ye that Corrus and Dulnop have succeeded in growing the flower?”

They ran nearer.  In a moment it was clear that something most certainly was arousing the people.  The village was in an uproar.

“Stay!” cautioned Rolla, catching her friend’s arm.  “Let us use cunning!  Mayhap there be danger!”

They were quite alone in the fields, which were always deserted at that hour.  Crouching behind a row of bushes, they quickly drew near to the village, all without being seen.  Otherwise, this tale would never be told.

For Corrus and Dulnop, after having satisfied themselves that the wondrous flowering flower would live as long as they continued to feed it, had immediately decided to carry it home.  To do so they first tried building the fire on a large piece of bark.  Of course it burned through, and there had been more delay.  Finally Corrus located a piece of slate, so large that a small fire could be kept up without danger of spilling.

The two men had hurried straight for the village.  Not once did either of them dream what a magnificent spectacle they made; the two skin-clad aborigines, bearing the thing which was to change them from slaves into free beings, with all the wonders of civilization to come in its train.  Behind them as they marched, if they but knew it, stalked the principles of the steam engine, of the printing-press, of scientific agriculture and mechanical industry in general.  Look about the room in which you sit as you read this; even to the door-knobs every single item depends upon fire, directly or indirectly.  But Corrus and Dulnop were as ignorant of this as their teeth were devoid of fillings.

Not until then did it occur to the four watchers on the earth that there was anything premature about the affair.  It was Smith who first observed: 

“Say, Van, I never thought to impress Dulnop with any plan for using the fire.  How about you and Corrus?”

“By George!” seriously, from the geologist.  And immediately the two set to work trying to reach their agents’ minds.

They failed!  Dulnop and Corrus were both too excited, far too wide awake, to feel even the united efforts of all four on the earth.  And the two Sanusians marched straight into the village without the remotest idea of how they should act.

“It is a flower!” he shrieked, frantic with joy.  “The flower has come!” the shout was passed along.  “Corrus and Dulnop have found the flowering blossom!”

Within a single minute the two men were surrounded by the whole human population of the place.  For the most part the natives were too awe-struck to come very near; they were content to stand off and stare at the marvel, or fall upon their knees and worship it.  It was now so dark that the flames fairly illumined their faces.