reckoned among them.

In Britain, Ross had known there were others of his kind about, but this
was different. Here, he could have believed it if he had been told he
was the first man to walk this way.

A squirrel ran out on a tree limb and surveyed the two men with curious
beady eyes, then clung head down on the tree trunk to see them better.
One of the donkeys tossed its head, and the squirrel was gone with a
flirt of its tail. Although it was quiet, there was a hum underneath the
surface which Ross tried to analyze, to identify the many small sounds
which went into its making.

Perhaps because he was trying so hard, he noted the faint noise. His
hand touched Ashe's arm and a slight movement of his head indicated the
direction of the sound. Then, as fluidly as he had melted into the
woods, McNeil returned. "Company," he said in a soft voice.

"What kind?"

"Tribesmen, but wilder than any I've seen, even on the tapes. We are
certainly out on the fringes now. These people look about cave level. I
don't think they've ever heard of traders."

"How many?"

"Three, maybe four families. Most of the males must be out hunting, but
there're about ten children and six or seven women. I don't think
they've had good luck lately by the look of them."

"Maybe their luck and ours are going to turn together," Ashe said,
motioning Ross forward with the donkeys. "We will circle about them to
the river and then try bartering later. But I do want to establish
contact."

CHAPTER 9

"Not to be too hopeful--" McNeil rubbed his arm across his hot face--"so
far, so good." After kicking from his path some of the branches Ross had
lopped from the trees they had been felling, he went to help his
companion roll another small log up to a shelter which was no longer
temporary. If there had been any eyes other than the woodland hunters'
to spy upon them, they would have seen only the usual procedure of the
Beaker traders, busily constructing one of their posts.

That they were being watched by the hunters, all three were certain.
That there might be other spies in the forest, they had to assume for
their own safety. They might prowl at night, but in the daytime all of
the time agents kept within the bounds of the roles they were acting.

Barter with the head men of the hunting clan had brought those shy
people into the camp of the strangers who had such wonders to exchange
for tanned deer hides and better furs. The news of the t