by the
weight of his body.

"The flyer! Come back--back!" He was still pulling at Nolan, prodding at
Travis with one foot, and the Apaches stared at him with amazement.

The shaman sputtered in his own language, and then, visibly regaining
command of himself, spoke English once more.

"Those are hunters, and they carry a caller. Either some others have
escaped or they are determined to find our mountain camp."

Jil-Lee looked at Travis. "You did not feel anything when the woman was
under that spell?"

Travis shook his head. Jil-Lee nodded and then said to the shaman: "We
shall stay here and watch. But since it is bad for you--do you go. And
we shall meet you near this place of the towers. Agreed?"

For a moment Menlik's face held a shadowy expression Travis tried to
read. Was it resentment--resentment that he was forced to retreat when
the others could stand their ground? Did the Tatar believe that he lost
face this way? But the shaman gave a grunt of what they took as assent
and slipped over the edge of the lookout point. A moment later they
heard him speaking the Mongol tongue, warning Hulagur and Lotchu, his
companions on the scout. Then came the clatter of pony hoofs as they
rode their mounts away.

The Apaches settled back in the cup, which gave them a wide view over
the plains. Soon it was not necessary to use the glasses in order to
sight the advancing party of hunters--five riders, four wearing Tatar
dress. The fifth had such an odd outline that Travis was reminded of
Menlik's sketch of the alien. Under the sharper vision of the glasses he
saw that the rider was equipped with a pack strapped between his
shoulders and a bulbous helmet covering most of his head. Highly
specialized equipment for communication, Travis guessed.

"That is a 'copter up above," Nolan said. "Different shape from ours."

They had been familiar with helicopters back on Terra. Ranchers used
them for range inspection, and all of the Apache volunteers had flown in
them. But Nolan was correct; this one possessed several unfamiliar
features.

"The Tatars say they don't bring those very far into the mountains,"
Jil-Lee mused. "That could explain their man on horseback; he gets in
where they don't fly."

Nolan fingered his bow. "If these Reds depend upon their machine to
control what they seek, then they may be taken by surprise----"

"But not yet!" Travis spoke sharply. Nolan frowned at him.

Jil-Lee chuckled. "The way is not so