siasm over such a voyage. Fork-tail had come out of the section of
ocean which they must navigate in this very crude transport. And Shann
had no desire to meet an uninjured and alert fork-tail in the latter's
own territory.

"Which island do we head for?" Shann kept private his personal doubts of
their success. The outmost tip of that chain was only a distant smudge
lying low on the water.

"The largest ... that one with trees."

Shann whistled. Since the night of the storm the wolverines were again
more amenable to the very light discipline he tried to keep. Perhaps the
fury of that elemental burst had tightened the bond between men and
animals, both alien to this world. Now Taggi and his mate padded toward
him in answer to his summons. But would the wolverines trust the boat?
Shann dared not risk their swimming, nor would he agree to leaving them
behind.

Thorvald had already stored their few provisions on board. And now Shann
steadied the craft against a rock which served them as a wharf, while he
coaxed Taggi gently. Though the wolverine protested, he at last
scrambled in, to hunch at the bottom of the shell, the picture of
apprehension. Togi took longer to make up her mind. And at length Shann
picked her up bodily, soothing her with quiet speech and stroking hands,
to put her beside her mate.

The shell settled under the weight of the passengers, but Thorvald's
foresight concerning the use of the outrigger proved right, for the
craft was seaworthy. It answered readily to the dip of their paddles as
they headed in a curve, keeping the first of the islands between them
and the open sea for a breakwater.

From the air, Thorvald's course would have been a crooked one, for he
wove back and forth between the scattered islands of the chain, using
their lee calm for the protection of the canoe. About two thirds of the
group were barren rock, inhabited only by clak-claks and creatures
closer to true Terran birds in that they wore a body plumage which
resembled feathers, though their heads were naked and leathery. And,
Shann noted, the clak-claks and the birds did not roost on the same
islands, each choosing their own particular home while the other species
did not invade that territory.

The first large-sized island they approached was crowned by trees, but
it had no beach, no approach from sea level. Perhaps it might be
possible to climb to the top of the cliff walls. But Thorvald did not
suggest that they try it,