the room. Mir was already
on her feet. She smiled at him uncertainly.

"It's morning," she said. "Rest day, at last."

"Yes." Retonga closed his eyes for an instant. It had been bad for her,
too, he knew. He'd probably been pretty hard to live with these past few
days. He sighed.

"Rest day," he mused. "But it means nothing. There's still work. There's
always work these days." He got to his feet.

"I wish I were just a herd boy--in some other village." He went to the
door and looked out.

Someone had disturbed the pile of building stones. Children had been
playing in the clearing the night before and the earth was scuffed up.
Bits of wood and cloth lay scattered here and there.

He looked at the houses. Folshan's roof was sagging a trifle, he
noticed. And there were a couple of dolls lying outside his door. He
shook his head and went out into the clearing.

Old Tamiso was squatting by the well. Retonga walked over to him.

"Your stone pile," he said. "A few of the stones are scattered."

The old man looked over, then shrugged.

"I just picked this one out," he explained. "When I get it laid, I'll
have to get another. I'll straighten the pile when I finish here."

Retonga smiled wearily. "And if the master sees your pile now?"

Tamiso pushed himself to his feet, rubbing his back thoughtfully.

"Yes," he said. "The master can give great pain, and it seems he is
always watching these days." He walked over to the stones.

For a moment, Retonga watched as he rearranged his pile, then he turned,
tilting his head back.

"Awaken," he shouted. "For the sun looks down and shall he find us
asleep?"

A head poked out of a door.

"It's a rest day. We'll be at it soon enough, but what's the hurry?"

Retonga shook his head. "I know it's rest day. You know it's rest day.
But there's one who forgets these things. Remember the other evening?"

Folshan winced and Retonga pointed.

"Better get those dolls picked up. And there's that roof of yours. I'll
give you a hand with it."

Folshan came out of his hut, then looked back.

"No," he said slowly. "You're headman. Remember how that happened? Let
the master catch you helping with the work and we'll need yet another
headman." He shook his head.

"This time, it could be me." He bent over to pick up the toys his
daughter had left.

"Kina," he called, "tell Chama to keep her toys picked up, or she might
be needing a new father." He turned again.

"I'll get Keson