hree--"

"Go on," the other said tensely.

"Three," said Skag.

"Let's smoke 'em now. They're calling me already."

Skag passed him the case, saying; "I'm not ready. I do not care just
now."

The other puffed dismally.

"I don't always quite get you, son," he said. "But it's all right when
I do--"

Skag mused over this. He was hungry and he put the thought away. He
was athirst and he put that thought away also. The wants came back,
but he dealt with them more firmly. The two men talked of appetites in
general, and Skag explained that he handled his, just as he had handled
the wild animals in the circus, being straight with them and gaining
their friendliness.

"Don't fight them," he said. "Get them on your side and they will pull
for you in a pinch."

"You talk like a Hindu holy man--"

"Do they talk like that?" Skag asked quickly. . . . "It was my old
friend with the circus--who taught me these things. He taught me to
make friends with my own wild animals. It is true that he was many
years in India. . . ."

"He was the one that had the ring in his left ear?"

"Right ear."

The other laughed. "It's such a novelty to find you are not a
liar--with all you know and have been through. I'll stop that nasty
business of testing you. Hear me, from now on, I'm done!"

Hours passed; it was after midnight. The waning moon was rising. They
could tell the light through the trees. Cadman had smoked again, but
Skag still expressed an unwillingness.

"It doesn't want to, now," he said.

"Oh, it doesn't--"

"I have persuaded it to think of other things. It is working for me."

Cadman swore softly, genially. "I never forget anything, son," he
whispered. "Never anything like that."

"Old Alec said I should never let a day pass without doing something I
didn't want to--or without something I wanted. He said it was better
than developing muscle."

"Some brand of calisthenics--that. And he was the old one with the
rose-jar?"

Skag's hand lifted toward the other and Cadman's met his.

There was a wet, meaty growl, indescribably low-pitched--but no chance
even to shout--only to huddle back together to the farthest corner.
The beast had stalked faultlessly and pounced, landing upon the thin
cross pieces of bamboo, but short of the bait. Down the twelve feet he
came with a tearing hiss of fright and rage. Something like a muffled
crash of pottery, it was, mixed with dull choking explosions.