rizon was clear, the sun was high, the sky was black.

Murphy's radio hummed. Someone said sharply, "Look! There it goes!" He
wheeled around; his guards had halted, and were pointing. He saw a fleet
something vanishing into the distance.

"Let's go," said Murphy. "There's nothing out there."

"Sjambak."

"Well, there's only one of them."

"Where one walks, others follow."

"That's why the twenty of you are here."

"It is madness! Challenging the sjambaks!"

"What is gained?" another argued.

"I'll be the judge of that," said Murphy, and set off along the plain.
The warriors reluctantly followed, muttering to each other over their
radio intercoms.

* * * * *

The eroded city walls rose above them, occupied more and more of the
sky. The platoon leader said in an angry voice, "We have gone far
enough."

"You're under my orders," said Murphy. "We're going through the gate."
He punched the button on his camera and passed under the monstrous
portal.

The city was frailer stuff than the wall, and had succumbed to the thin
storms which had raged a million years after the passing of life. Murphy
marvelled at the scope of the ruins. Virgin archaeological territory! No
telling what a few weeks digging might turn up. Murphy considered his
expense account. Shifkin was the obstacle.

There'd be tremendous prestige and publicity for _Know Your Universe!_
if Murphy uncovered a tomb, a library, works of art. The Sultan would
gladly provide diggers. They were a sturdy enough people; they could
make quite a showing in a week, if they were able to put aside their
superstitions, fears and dreads.

Murphy sized one of them up from the corner of his eye. He sat on a
sunny slab of rock, and if he felt uneasy he concealed it quite
successfully. In fact, thought Murphy, he appeared completely relaxed.
Maybe the problem of securing diggers was a minor one after all....

And here was an odd sidelight on the Singhalusi character. Once clear of
the valley the man openly wore his shirt, a fine loose garment of
electric blue, in defiance of the Sultan's edict. Of course out here he
might be cold....

Murphy felt his own skin crawling. How could he be cold? How could he be
alive? Where was his space-suit? He lounged on the rock, grinning
sardonically at Murphy. He wore heavy sandals, a black turban, loose
breeches, the blue shirt. Nothing more.

Where were the others?

Murphy turned a feverish gl