ou stay somewhere they find you. We can't leave the containers here,
either, because if they find them it might give them a clue in
tracking us."

She looked ashamed, so he reached over, ready to draw back his hand if
she acted as if she were scared. She tugged at her lower lip with her
teeth and stared at him with eyes that were wide but she did not
spring to her feet. Somehow Nelson knew that the girl was acutely
aware of how much she needed help out here. Suddenly, her right hand
darted out and for a split second Nelson feared he had lost after all.
But she reached over for the discarded can, picked it up and handed it
to him. He reacted a little slowly, but he smiled and took the
container. Their hands touched briefly and the girl drew hers away,
immediately looking ashamed for so doing. Nelson continued to smile at
her, and rather stiffly, she answered with a smile of her own. He put
the container into the knapsack with the others and then slipped into
the armstraps. Glynnis helped him.

* * * * *

They walked for an hour, that first day together, neither speaking.
Glynnis stayed close by his side and Nelson could feel her proximity
to him. He felt good in a way he had not felt in along time. When the
silence was finally broken, it was Nelson who broke it. They were
topping a small hill in a section of wilderness that was not as
heavily wooded as most and the sunlight was warm against Nelson's
face. He had been thinking the matter over off and on all morning, and
now he asked, "Have you ever raided a patrol depot?"

"No," she answered, a trace of apprehension in her voice.

They topped the hill and began moving down the other side. "Sometimes
it's a pushover, when nobody is there. Other times it's mortal hell.
The patrol is always anxious to get their hands on wakers, so they try
to keep an eye out for them at the depots. That means a fight unless
we're very lucky. If the depot we pick is too heavily manned--"

"What do you mean, 'Depot we pick'?"

"We need more food. We either shoot some, raise some, or steal some."

"Oh," she said, but there was apprehension in her voice.

"We don't have any choice. We'll wait until almost dark. If the depot
is guarded by too many men, or for some reason an extra number is
there for the night, then we're in trouble unless we play our cards
just right. You just do as I tell you and we'll be all right." He
reached back and fumbled with the s