once more. Sssuri sped on silent feet, his shoulders hunched, his
distaste for the structures to be read in every line of his supple
body.

When they reached the top, Dalgard turned to gaze down to the restless
sea. What a prospect! Perhaps Those Others had built thus for reasons
of defense, but surely they, too, must have paused now and then to be
proud of such a feat. It was the most impressive site he had yet seen,
and his report of it would be a worthy addition to the Homeport
records.

A road ran straight from the top of the stair, stabbing inland without
taking any notice of the difficulties of the terrain, after the usual
arrogant manner of the alien engineers. But Sssuri did not follow it.
Instead he struck off to the left, avoiding that easy path, choosing
to cross through tangles which had once been gardens or through open
fields.

They were well out of the sight of the city before they flushed their
first hopper, a full-grown adult with oddly pale fur. Instead of
displaying the usual fearless interest in strangers, the animal took
one swift look at them and fled as if a snake-devil had snorted at its
thumping heels. And Dalgard received a sharp impression of terror, as
if the hopper saw in him some frightening menace.

"What--?" Honestly astounded, he looked to Sssuri for enlightenment.

The hoppers could be pests. They stole any small bright object which
aroused their interest. But they could also be persuaded to trade, and
they usually had no fear of either colonist or merman.