the night before!

Ross headed once again for the cave. Their immediate needs were of major
importance now. The containers must be all gathered and taken into their
hiding place, because upon their contents three human lives could
depend.

He paused just at the entrance to adjust the net of containers he
transported. And it was that slight chance which brought him knowledge
of the intruder.

On the ledge Karara was heaping up the kelp of the nest. But to one side
and on a level with the girl's head....

Ross dared not flash his torch, thus betraying his presence. Leaving the
net hitched to the rock by its sling, he swam under water along the side
of the cave by a route which should bring him out within striking
distance of that hunched figure perching above to watch Karara's every
move.

6

Loketh the Useless

The wash of waves covered Ross's advance until he came up against the
wall not too far from the spy's perch. Whoever crouched there still
leaned forward to watch Karara. And Ross's eyes, having adjusted to the
gloom of the cavern, made out the outline of head and shoulders. The
next two or three minutes were the critical ones for the Terran. He must
emerge on the ledge in the open before he could attack.

Karara might almost have read his mind and given conscious help. For now
she went out on the point of the ledge to whistle the dolphins' summons.
Tino-rau's sleek head bobbed above water as he answered the girl with a
bubbling squeak. Karara knelt and the dolphin came to butt against her
out-held hand.

Ross heard a gasp from the watcher, a faint sound of movement. Karara
began to sing softly, her voice rippling in one of the liquid chants of
her own people, the dolphin interjecting a note or two. Ross had heard
them at that before, and it made perfect cover for his move. He sprang.

His grasp tightened on flesh, fingers closed about thin wrists. There
was a yell of astonishment and fear from the stranger as the Terran
jerked him from his perch to the ledge. Ross had his opponent flattened
under him before he realized that the other had offered no struggle, but
lay still.

"What is it?" Karara's torch beam caught them both. Ross looked down
into a thin brown face not too different from his own. The wide-set eyes
were closed, and the mouth gaped open. Though he believed the Hawaikan
unconscious, Ross still kept hold on those wrists as he moved from the
sprawled body. With the girl's aid he