pursuit grew loud, and he shook his head
and screwed his features into an expression that was supposed to depict
fear. "No! No!" he said.

He dragged the savage forward and pointed cautiously to the milling
horde below, and repeated, "No! No!" Then he included them all in a wave
of his hand and pointed back and out into the night. And Towahg's
unlovely features were again twisted into what was for him a smile, as
he grunted some unintelligible syllables and motioned them to follow.

* * * * *

It had taken but an instant. Towahg was scurrying in advance; he sped
like a shadow of a passing cloud, and behind him the others followed,
crouching low in the shelter of the deep-cut step. No figures were below
them at the rear of the pyramid, and Chet reached for one of Diane's
arms, while Harkness took the other. Between them they held her from
falling while they followed the dark blur that was Towahg leaping
noiselessly down the long slope.

No time for caution now. The savage ahead of them leaped silently; his
flying feet hardly disturbed a stone. But beneath them, Chet felt a
small landslide of rubble that came with them in their flight. And above
the noise of their going came a sound that sped them on--the rising
shout of wonder from the unseen multitude in front, and a chorus of
animal cries from the pyramid's top.

Chet saw a blot of black figures at the top of the slope just as they
felt firm ground beneath their feet. They followed where Towahg led in a
swift race across the open arena toward the great steps at the rear.
Black and white in strongly contrasting bands, the rock reared itself in
a barrier that, to Chet, seemed hopelessly unsurmountable. He felt that
they had come to the end of their tether.

"Trapped!" he told himself, and wondered at Towahg's leading them into
such a cul-de-sac, even while he knew that retreat in other directions
was cut off. The pursuit was gaining on them; savages from beyond the
pyramid had sighted them now in the full light of Earth, and their
yelping cry came mingled with hoarse growls as the full pack took the
trail. Ahead of them, Towahg, reaching the base of the first white step,
was dancing with excitement beside a narrow cleft in the rocks. He led
the way through the small passage. And Harkness, bringing up the rear,
took the detonite pistol in his hand.

"One shell! We'll have to waste it!" he said, and raised the weapon.

Its own explo