drifted soil.

Here the buildings were of a new type, windowless, perhaps
storehouses. But what pleased Dalgard most was the fact that most of
them showed tightly closed doors. There was no chance for their prey
to lurk in wait.

"We should smell it." Sssuri picked that worry out of the scout's mind
and had a ready answer for it.

Sure--they should smell the lair; nothing could cloak the horrible
odor of a snake-devil's home. Dalgard sniffed vigorously as he padded
along. Though odd smells clung to the strange buildings none of them
were actively obnoxious--yet.

"River--"

There was the river at the end of the way they had been following, a
way which ended in a wharf built out over the oily flow of water.
Blank walls were on either side. If the snake-devil had come this way,
he had found no hiding place.

"Across the river--"

Dalgard gave a resigned grunt. For some reason he disliked the thought
of swimming that stream, of having his skin laved by the turgid water
with its brown sheen.

"There is no need to swim."