* * *

The projection formed and Barra was suddenly in a wood, looking across a
wide field. Grain waved in the breeze and here and there, the
silhouettes of both long-neck and fin-back could be seen, half hidden by
grass and trees.

The scanner progressed, crossing the field and continuing to another
forest, operating on the route impressed on it. Barra relaxed as he
watched. As the scan progressed through field, swamp and forest, he
nodded in satisfaction. The Estates were in far better shape than ever
before.

Suddenly, he halted the scan, looking critically at the scene. He was in
the central clearing of Tibara. And the village didn't match with the
standards he wanted.

He looked critically at the huts. They were becoming run-down. It had
been too long since the roof thatches had been replaced. Uprights were
bending a little here, a trifle out of plumb there.

There were broken stones again in the well curb and the pile of stone
brought for repair wasn't neatly stacked. He frowned.

This was not the first time he'd had to take a firm hand in Tibara. Of
course, he had replaced headmen in other villages--more than once in
some cases. But Tibara was working on its third headman. There was
something really wrong in that village.

To be sure, Tibara was the village where most caravan slaves were
quartered. A lodge had been built there for that purpose and it was in
frequent use. Naturally, it was maintained by the villagers. But that
was even less excuse for shoddiness. This should be the neatest, best
kept village in all Kira Barra. It wasn't.

The frown deepened. This time, Tibara was going to be cleaned up, and
he'd keep his attention on it. The village would stay clean if the
villagers had to spend every second of their time on it when they
weren't taking care of their herds, their boats, and their guest lodge.

And there'd be no slacking in those other areas, either.

He looked around the clearing. There were, he was forced to admit, no
idlers about at the moment. The only people he could see were women and
children. And the women were busily occupied.

Again, he studied the scene. The men would be coming in from their
fields and from the lake in another hour. He would examine a few other
villages, then return his attention to Tibara.

* * * * *

Wearily, Retonga, headman of Tibara, pulled himself to a sitting
position. He looked over to the other side of