questioned Karn. He shook his head.

"No. They would kill me."

"Somewhere else, then?"

Karn shrugged. A full-grown male was no welcome guest in any tribe.
Andra read his thoughts and was sympathetic.

"You're really up against it, aren't you? From what we've seen of your
world so far I would guess it was no place for a man without friends."

"I will go with you to your people; to Mahlo, wherever that is."

"What a notion," Harus snorted. "Picture this uncouth thing in his wolf
skin on Mahlo! Besides" and the disdain went out of his voice, "we'd be
doing him no favor."

Karn grunted. They didn't think much of him. But there was more of it
than that. The three of them had fallen to arguing again. There was talk
of Mahlo and the Green Ones, whoever _they_ were. The argument droned on
endlessly.

"Too much talk," Karn said abruptly.

The talk stopped. Andra was looking at Karn, a slow smile spreading
across her face. Her breasts rose and fell with a change in her
breathing and Karn felt a warm flush rise within him.

"I think Karn is right," she said. "Too much talk."

* * * * *

Somewhere in the bowels of the ship a great beast purred. I should not
have let them strap me down, Karn thought. The purring grew louder, the
ship lifted.

His back pressed against the seat and there was a crushing weight on his
chest. His insides tied themselves in knots. What was happening to him.
What invisible monster held him in its clutch?

"Afraid?" Andra asked.

Karn was aware that the weight was off his chest. The purring was
muffled. They had the beast penned. Then Andra unfastened the thongs
that bound Karn.

"Why should Karn be afraid?" he smiled scornfully.

"Perhaps now you would rather remain in your own world. There may be
danger on Mahlo."

This woman was a fool. Naturally; she was a woman. What was danger to
Karn? What was danger to a man who had lived his life with Tur and the
bull males of the tribe, who roamed the same jungle with the saber-tooth
and the great wolf?

Yet she was a woman, and one who attracted him. Karn reached out and
drew her to him. Let her feel the might of his arms. She was doing
something strange with her lips, pressing them against his.

"Now let me go," she said. Then, sharply, "Let me go!"

Bewildered, Karn released his grip. He was confused by this creature of
moods. One moment she smiled and the next moment she seemed angry. He
wanted to p