owed gaily to his feet.

"Come on, Ilg," Pid said angrily, looking around. "Wake up."

There was no reply.

"Ilg!" he called.

Still there was no reply.

"Help me look for him," Pid said to Ger. "He must be around here
somewhere."

Together they tested every bush, tree, log and shrub in the vicinity.
But none of them was Ilg.

Pid began to feel a cold panic run through him. What could have
happened to the Radioman?

"Perhaps he decided to go through the gate on his own," Ilg suggested.

Pid considered the possibility. It seemed unlikely. Ilg had never
shown much initiative. He had always been content to follow orders.

They waited. But midday came, and there was still no sign of Ilg.

"We can't wait any longer," Pid said, and they started through the
woods. Pid wondered if Ilg _had_ tried to get through the gates on his
own. Those quiet types often concealed a foolhardy streak.

But there was nothing to show that Ilg had been successful. He would
have to assume that the Radioman was dead, or captured by the Men.

That left two of them to activate a Displacer.

And he still didn't know what had happened to the other expeditions.

* * * * *

At the edge of the woods, Ger turned himself into a facsimile of a
Dog. Pid inspected him carefully.

"A little less tail," he said.

Ger shortened his tail.

"More ears."

Ger lengthened his ears,

"Now even them up."

They became even.

Pid inspected the finished product. As far as he could tell, Ger was
perfect, from the tip of his tail to his wet, black nose.

"Good luck," Pid said.

"Thanks." Cautiously Ger moved out of the woods, walking in the
lurching style of Dogs and Men. At the gate the guard called to him.
Pid held his breath.

Ger walked past the Man, ignoring him. The Man started to walk over.
Ger broke into a run.

Pid shaped a pair of strong legs for himself, ready to dash if Ger was
caught.

But the guard turned back to his gate. Ger stopped running
immediately, and strolled quietly toward the main door of the
building.

Pid dissolved his legs with a sigh of relief ... and then tensed
again.

The main door was closed!

Pid hoped the Radioman wouldn't try to open it. That was _not_ in the
nature of Dogs.

As he watched, another Dog came running toward Ger. Ger backed away
from him. The Dog approached and sniffed. Ger sniffed back.

Then both of them ran around the building.

That was clever