uld prove false.

"Get up," the voice jarred into his thoughts. "We're leaving."

His legs were still numb and hardly usable. The bearded man snorted in
disgust and hauled him to his feet, propping him against the outer wall.
Jason clutched the knobby bark of the logs when he was left alone. He
looked around, soaking up impressions.

It was the first time he had been on a farm since he had run away from
home. A different world with a different ecology, but the similarity was
apparent enough to him. A new-sown field stretched down the hill in
front of the shack. Ploughed by a good farmer. Even, well cast furrows
that followed the contour of the slope. Another, larger log building was
next to this one, probably a barn.

There was a snuffling sound behind him and Jason turned quickly--and
froze. His hand called for the missing gun and his finger tightened down
on a trigger that wasn't there.

It had come out of the jungle and padded up quietly behind him. It had
six thick legs with clawed feet that dug into the ground. The two-meter
long body was covered with matted yellow and black fur, all except the
skull and shoulders. These were covered with overlapping horny plates.
Jason could see all this because the beast was that close.

He waited to die.

The mouth opened, a froglike division of the hairless skull, revealing
double rows of jagged teeth.

"Here, Fido," the bearded man said, coming up behind Jason and snapping
his fingers at the same time. The thing bounded forward, brushing past
the dazed Jason, and rubbed his head against the man's leg. "Nice
doggy," the man said, his fingers scratching under the edge of the
carapace where it joined the flesh.

The bearded man had brought two of the riding animals out of the barn,
saddled and bridled. Jason barely noticed the details of smooth skin and
long legs as he swung up on one. His feet were quickly lashed to the
stirrups. When they started the skull-headed beast followed them.

"Nice doggy!" Jason said, and for no reason started to laugh. The
bearded man turned and scowled at him until he was quiet.

* * * * *

By the time they entered the jungle it was dark. It was impossible to
see under the thick foliage, and they used no lights. The animals seemed
to know the way. There were scraping noises and shrill calls from the
jungle around them, but it didn't bother Jason too much. Perhaps the
automatic manner in which the other man