Raf could hear the murmur of voices. But he turned and went to the
flitter. Taking his hand torch, he checked the work he had done during
the day. To-morrow--tomorrow he could take her up into the blue-green
sky, circle out over the sea of grass for a short testing flight. That
much he wanted to do.

But the thought of the cruise south, of venturing toward that
sprawling splotch Hobart and Lablet identified as a city was somehow
distasteful, and he was reluctant to think about it.




3

SNAKE-DEVIL'S TRAIL


Dalgard drew the waterproof covering back over his brow, making a
cheerful job of it, preparatory to their pushing out to sea once more.
But he was as intent upon what Sssuri had to tell as he was on his
occupation of the moment.

"But that is not even a hopper rumor," he was protesting, breaking
into his companion's flow of thought.

"No. But, remember, to the runners yesterday is very far away. One
night is like another; they do not reckon time as we do, nor lay up
memories for future guidance. They left their native hunting grounds