ncreased slope of the rocks.
The slope was precipitous now, almost perpendicular.

"I can't--can't go much further!" Chandler groaned.

"We've got to, man. We've got to."

* * * * *

"He's waking," said Robin.

Glaudot had broken completely. The confident would-be conqueror was
reduced to trembling and whining now. "M-maybe he's hungry. Oh, God,
maybe he's hungry ..."

But the Cyclops only turned over in its sleep and began to snore again.
The fire had burned low. The sheep were resting. Robin thought of
Charlie, probably many miles away. There would be a late moonrise
tonight, she thought. They often spoke of the feeblest of Crimson's
three suns as the moon, although it really wasn't. Then dawn would come.
If the Cyclops were hungry and wanted a change in diet ...

* * * * *

"But you'll choke to death going down there," Chandler protested.

"It's only a chimney hole. Nobody's going to choke to death."

"Can you see down it?"

"No. Too much smoke."

"Then how do you know how far we'll have to fall?"

"I don't. I'll have to take the chance. You don't have to, though."

"I'll go where you go. That's what I volunteered for."

"Good. It's almost morning, so the fire's probably almost burned down
from now. If you land in the embers, jump aside quickly. You
understand?"

"Yes," Chandler said.

Without another word, Charlie suddenly lowered himself into the smoke
and let go.

* * * * *

Dim fiery light lit the cave. He alighted in embers and quickly jumped
clear. Embers flew. A ram bleated. Charlie saw the enormous sleeping
bulk of the Cyclops against one wall of the cave. He heard something
behind him, and whirled. It was Chandler. More sparks flew. The sheep
bleated again, louder this time.

Robin and a spaceman who was probably Glaudot came toward them. There
was amazement on Robin's face. Glaudot looked like a child in the grip
of terror he couldn't quite understand.

Charlie held Robin close for a moment. "Quiet," he whispered. "Listen."

The slight disturbance had bothered the Cyclops. He was half awake. He
made noises with his lips. One great arm lifted and fell. It could have
crushed the four of them.

"There's a stake," Robin said. "Just like in the book."

They got it and took it to the embers of the fire between them. Glaudot,
who brought up the rear, dragged his end, the wood scraping on the