t would be well for us to learn such things. Nor
will Phutka be jealous of the time we take to ask questions and get
answers, many answers." He prodded the Baldy with the toe of his sea
boot.

"How long will they remain so? Your magic has a bite in it."

Ross smiled. "Not my magic, Captain. This weapon was taken from one of
their own ships. As to how long they will remain so--that I do not
know."

"Very well, we can take precautions." Under Torgul's orders the aliens
were draped with capture nets like those Ross and Loketh had worn. The
sea-grown plant adhered instantly, wet strands knitting in perfect
restrainers as long as it was uncut.

Having seen to that, Torgul ordered the excavation of Kyn Add.

"As you say," he remarked to Ross, "that fire may well be a signal to
bring down more of their kind. I think we have had the Favor of Phutka
in this matter, but the prudent man stretches no favor of that kind too
far. Also," he looked about him--"we have given to Phutka and the Shades
our dead; there is nothing for us here now but hate and sorrow. In one
day we have been broken from a clan of pride and ships to a handful of
standardless men."

"You will join some other clan?" Karara had come with Jazia to stand on
the stone ledge chipped to form a base for a column bearing a strange,
brooding-eyed head looking seaward. The Rover woman was superintending
the freeing of the head from the column.

At the Terran girl's question the Captain gazed down into the dreadful
chaos of the valley. They could yet hear the roars of the dying salkars.
The reptiles that had made their way to land had not withdrawn but still
lay, some dead now, some with weaving heads reaching inland. And the
whole of the fairing was ablaze with fire.

"We are now blood-sworn men, Sea Maid. For such there is no clan. There
is only the hunting and the kill. With the magic of Phutka perhaps we
shall have a short hunt and a good kill."

"There ... now ... so...." Jazia stepped back. The head which had faced
the sea was lowered carefully to a wide strip of crimson-and-gold stuff
she had brought from Torgul's ship. With her one usable hand the Rover
woman drew the fabric about the carving, muffling it except for the
eyes. Those were large ovals deeply carved, and in them Ross saw a
glitter. Jewels set there? Yet, he had a queer, shivery feeling that
something more than gems occupied those sockets--that he had actually
been regarded for an instant of