brainless ferocity which did not know fear.

But Sssuri did not accept that explanation. He was sitting up, facing
inland where the thread of valley met the cliff wall. And seeing his
absorption, Dalgard asked no distracting questions.

"No, no snake-devil--" after long moments came the answer. He got to
his feet, shuffling through the sand in the curious little half dance
which betrayed his agitation more strongly than his thoughts had done.

"The hoppers have no news," Dalgard said.

Sssuri gestured impatiently with one outflung hand. "Do the hoppers
wander far from their own nest mounds? Somewhere there--" he pointed
to the left and north, "there is trouble, bad trouble. Tonight we
shall speak with the runners and discover what it may be."

Dalgard glanced about the camp with regret. But he made no protest as
he reached for his bow and stripped off its protective casing. With
the quiver of heavy-duty arrows slung across his shoulder he was ready
to go, following Sssuri inland.

The easy valley path ended less than a quarter of a mile from the sea,
and they were fronted by a wall of rock with no other option than to
climb. But the westering sun made plain every possible hand and foot
hold on its surface.

When they stood at last on the heights and looked ahead, it was across
a broken stretch of bare rock with the green of vegetation beckoning
from at least a mile beyond. Sssuri hesitated for only a moment or