hat's not very likely."

"Perhaps I can catch a few for the lab," Samuels suggested. "I'll work
up a behavior pattern analysis."

"That shouldn't be too hard," Gallifa said. "They certainly aren't
afraid of us. You do that," he added suddenly. "I'm going to pick up Mac
and be on my way. Otherwise, we'll never get out of here."

"Good hunting," Samuels said. "I'll have a couple of these fat little
specimens neatly catalogued for you when you get back."

Gallifa laughed and headed the truck across the compound.

III

Gallifa found MacFarland by the main-gate shack. He helped him secure a
manual excavating kit to the side of the truck, and then headed for a
hogback MacFarland had spotted from the early air photos.

Gallifa jolted the truck up a rutted mound and braked close to a grove
of trees. They had covered roughly ten miles. Gallifa was still uneasy
about Bradshaw, but he had maintained an exceptionally sharp lookout and
had seen nothing which might be termed dangerous to a wary colonist. If
anything had harmed Bradshaw, the ground must have swallowed it.

MacFarland shouldered his pack and stalked toward an outcropping rock
formation. Gallifa planned to work close to the truck in order to keep
in touch with the other crews who were on less personalized missions of
mass survey with highly sensitive instruments. That was the way, of
course, that most of the work would have to be done.

A short time later MacFarland reappeared, red-faced and panting, and
with a bulging pack. Gallifa had activated the scanning scope and was
casually inspecting the terrain.

"Finding anything of interest?" MacFarland grunted, after he had caught
his breath.

"Nothing except a couple of those little creatures like the ones we saw
back in camp," Gallifa answered. At MacFarland's frown he remembered,
and filled in the details.

"Want to take a look?" he asked.

MacFarland shrugged out of the pack and clambered into the truck. He
expertly advanced the power of the scope and swung it in slow arcs.

"I'll help with the pack," Gallifa volunteered.

"Wait a minute!" MacFarland called excitedly. "Take a look at this."

Gallifa frowned and glanced into the view screen. His jaw fell. He
leaned forward and swallowed hard. "That's an ugly looking beast," he
affirmed, with a grimace.

"I thought the spotting cruiser said there weren't any dangerous animals
in the zone where we were supposed to land," MacFarland said
caustic