earthward was far
greater this time. Bough after bough bent perilously beneath their
triple burden as Tharn threaded his way, like a tightrope artist, along
them, held erect only by his uncanny sense of balance. Constantly he was
forced to search out branches of sufficient strength, stepping out and
onto them without the additional safety of a steadying hand hold.

Fifteen minutes of this was enough to satisfy him he was beyond any
territory Gerdak's warriors would reach before dawn. The search would go
on, of course, until Roban, dead or alive, was found; for he was son of
a chief and not lightly to be abandoned.

Near the pinnacle of a towering tree Tharn lowered his two passengers to
adjoining branches. While Trakor watched, he removed Roban's gag, after
warning him to utter no outcry on pain of instant death. The youth
nodded violently in agreement, and for a moment he was unable to speak
so cramped were his jaws.

Tharn glanced to where Trakor sat, an interested spectator to Roban's
discomfiture. "This is the chief's son?"

Trakor nodded. "He is Roban."

Tharn turned his sharp eyes to the captive, who was glowering at him in
mingled fear and hatred, and said:

"A few suns ago you saw a party of Ammadians scaling the cliffs near
your caves. Exactly where was this?"

Roban scowled unpleasantly. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"You know well enough. Answer me or die!"

"You would not dare kill me," Roban blustered. "I am Gerdak's son.
Unless you let me go at once he will come with many warriors and hunt
you down. He will kill you, but not quickly. First he will take his
knife and...."

He broke off suddenly, gasping as Tharn's fingers bit into his skinny
shoulder. "I, too, can use a knife! Answer my questions quickly or I
will prove it to you!"

Roban licked dry lips. "What do you want to know?" he mumbled.

"The exact spot where the Ammadians climbed those cliffs."

"What are Ammadians?"

* * * * *

Tharn described them in a few words and Roban nodded grudgingly. "Yes, I
saw them. There is a place in the cliffs, a sun's march to the west of
my father's caves, where a river tumbles over the edge. It was there
they climbed the cliffs."

"He is lying!" Trakor exclaimed. "At the cooking fires he said it was
east of our caves."

Roban's small eyes, evil and ratlike, swung toward him. "Your mother was
a hyena! Wait till my father gets his hands----"

Tharn