roar of the waterfall. Kalvar Dard looked around; Dorita had chosen the
spot well. Not even a sure-footed mountain-goat could make the ascent,
once that gorge was blocked.

"All right; put me down here," he directed. "Bo-Bo, take my belt, and
give me the big bomb. You have one light grenade; know how to use it?"

"Of course, you have often showed me. I turn the top, and then press in
the little thing on the side, and hold it in till I throw. I throw it at
least a spear-cast, and drop to the ground or behind something."

"That's right. And use it only in greatest danger, to save everybody.
Spare your cartridges; use them only to save life. And save everything
of metal, no matter how small."

"Yes. Those are the rules. I will follow them, and so will the others.
And we will always take care of Varnis."

"Well, goodbye, son." He gripped the boy's hand. "Now get everybody out
of here; don't stop till you're at the pass."

"You're not staying behind!" Varnis cried. "Dard, you promised us! I
remember, when we were all in the ship together--you and I and Analea
and Olva and Dorita and Eldra and, oh, what was that other girl's name,
Kyna! And we were all having such a nice time, and you were telling us
how we'd all come to Tareesh, and we were having such fun talking about
it...."

"That's right, Varnis," he agreed. "And so I will. I have something to
do, here, but I'll meet you on top of the mountain, after I'm through,