artling appearance.

"Queer," Tau said to himself, and then added briskly, "You're right, of
course. That sun can play tricks with one's eyes."

Dane continued to watch the finger rock. Maybe strong sunlight could
play tricks, but he could see nothing odd about that rough lump. And
since the captain asked no questions of Tau, he did not quite want to
either.

It was perhaps a half-hour later, and the medic and Jellico had both
succumbed to the quiet, the heat, and their own fatigue, when Dane did
sight a movement up-slope. The throbbing in his feet was worse now that
he had nothing to occupy his mind but his own troubles, and he was
sitting facing the finger rock.

Was that what Tau had seen earlier? That quick movement around the side
of the rough pillar? But if so, why the question of color? There it was
again! And now, centering all his attention on that one point, the
Terran picked out the outline of a head--a head grotesque enough to be
something conjured out of Lumbrilo's sorcerer's imagination. Had Dane
not seen its like among the tri-dee prints in Captain Jellico's
collection, he would have believed that his eyes were playing tricks.

It was a bullet-shaped head, embellished by two out-sized prick ears,
the hair-tufted pointed tips of which projected well above the top of
the skull. Round eyes were set deeply in sunken pits. The mouth was a
swinish snout from which lolled a purple tongue, though the rest of that
gargoyle head was very close in color to the rock against which it half
rested.

Dane had no doubts that the rock ape was spying upon the small camp.
Having heard tales of those semi-intelligent animals--the most
intelligent native creatures of Khatka--most of which were concerned
with their more malignant characteristics, Dane was alarmed. That lurker
could be an advance scout of some pack. And a pack of rock apes, if able
to surprise their prey, were formidable opponents.

Asaki stirred, sat up. And that round head above turned to follow the
Chief Ranger's every move.

"Above ... by the finger rock ... to the right...." Dane kept his voice
close to a whisper. When he saw the sudden constriction of muscle across
the Khatkan's bare shoulders, he knew that the other had heard and
understood.

Only, if Asaki had spotted the rock ape, he did not betray his
knowledge. The Khatkan got lithely to his feet. Then one of those feet
stirred Nymani into the instant wakefulness of the wilderness-trained