wildly into
the surrounding jungle, while Tharn restored his bloody knife to its
place in the folds of his loin-cloth and knelt beside Sadu's remains.

Trakor arrived on the scene while Tharn was completing his examination.
Wide-eyed he stared at the lion and then at the stern face of his
companion. He said, "What happened to Sadu, Tharn? Surely Gubo did not
kill him?"

The cave lord shook his head. "Sadu died under many Ammadian spears."

"Ammadian?" repeated Trakor, astonished. "Not those who were hunting for
Dylara?"

"I am not sure--yet."

Tharn rose and began to circle slowly that section of the clearing
adjacent to Sadu's remains. Trakor watched him, fascinated, as he
scrutinized the trampled grasses in an effort to piece together details
of what had taken place. Twice he knelt and placed his nostrils close to
the ground, the last time remaining in that position for several
minutes.

Finally he straightened and beckoned to Trakor. "They have her," he said
tonelessly. "She was fleeing from Sadu. Their spears cut him down in
time, then they took her with them. There are many of them--at least
fifty--and they are none I have come across before. Evidently we are
very near to Ammad."

"How far are they ahead of us?"

"A sun's march--if that."

"What do we do now, Tharn?"

"Overtake them, of course--and take Dylara from them."

He said this last with a crisp decisiveness that left no room for doubt.
But Trakor was shaking his head.

"There are fifty of them, Tharn. How can two of us fight so many?"

"There are other ways than by fighting. First we must catch up with
them; then we will work out a way to get her."

* * * * *

The swift journey through the jungle that afternoon was something Trakor
was never to forget. As though driven by some overpowering urge, Tharn
raced southward through the middle terraces with astonishing speed.
Trakor sought manfully to match his pace, but time and again the cave
lord left him behind, only to hold up on some high flung branch until
his younger companion could close the gap. Twice Tharn stopped for rest
periods--not because his own iron physique needed them, but to prevent
Trakor from collapsing entirely. The realization was galling to the
youngster, and it brought home forcibly to him that, for all his rapid
progress in jungle lore and jungle living since Tharn had adopted him,
he was still as a new-born child compared to Tharn.