he dunes.

Finding Ch'aka in the wilderness of the desert night was not easy, yet
Jason persisted. He made careful sweeps in wider and wider arcs,
working his way out from the sleeping slaves. There were gullies and
shadowed ravines and all of them had to be searched with utmost care.
The slave master was sleeping in one of them and would be alert for
any sound. The fact that he had also made special precautions to guard
against assassination was only apparent to Jason after he heard the
bell ring. It was a tiny sound, barely detectable, but he froze
instantly. There was a thin strand pressing against his arm, and when
he drew back carefully the bell sounded again. He cursed silently for
his stupidity, only remembering now about the bells he had heard from
Ch'aka's sleeping site. The slaver must surround himself every night
with a network of string that would sound alarm bells if anyone
attempted to approach in the dark. Slowly and soundlessly Jason drew
back deeper into the gully.

With a thud of rushing feet Ch'aka appeared, swinging his club around
his head, coming directly towards Jason. Jason rolled desperately
sideways and the club crashed into the ground, then he was up and
running at top speed down the gully. Rocks twisted under his feet and
he knew that if he tripped he was dead, yet he had no choice other
than flight. The heavily armored Ch'aka could not keep up with him and
Jason managed to stay on his feet until the other was left behind.
Ch'aka shouted with rage and hurled curses after him, but he could not
catch him. Jason, panting for breath, vanished into the darkness and
made a slow circle back to the sleeping camp. The noise would have
roused them and he stayed away for an estimated hour, shivering in the
icy predawn, before he slipped back to his waiting skins. The sky was
beginning to gray and he lay awake wondering if he had been
recognized: he didn't think he had.

As the red sun climbed over the horizon Ch'aka appeared on top of the
dunes, shaking with rage.

"Who did it?" he screamed. "Who came in night." He stalked among them,
glaring right and left, and no one stirred except to draw away from
his stamping feet. "Who did it?" he shouted again as he came near the
spot where Jason lay.

Five slaves pointed silently at Jason.

* * * * *

Cursing their betrayal Jason sprang up and ran from the whistling
club. He had the sharpened horn in his hand but knew bett