had been beset with constant danger, as is every journey in this
frightful land. I have not bored you with a recital of the wearying
successions of attacks by the multitude of creatures which were
constantly crossing our path or deliberately stalking us. We were
always upon the alert; for here, to paraphrase, eternal vigilance is
indeed the price of life.

I had managed to progress a little in the acquisition of a knowledge of
her tongue, so that I knew many of the animals and reptiles by their
Caspakian names, and trees and ferns and grasses. I knew the words for
sea and river and cliff, for sky and sun and cloud. Yes, I was getting
along finely, and then it occurred to me that I didn't know my
companion's name; so I pointed to myself and said, "Tom," and to her
and raised my eyebrows in interrogation. The girl ran her fingers into
that mass of hair and looked puzzled. I repeated the action a dozen
times.

"Tom," she said finally in that clear, sweet, liquid voice. "Tom!"

I had never thought much of my name before; but when she spoke it, it
sounded to me for the first time in my life like a mighty nice name,
and then she brightened suddenly and tapped her own breast and said:
"Ajor!"

"Ajor!" I repeated, and she laughed and struck her palms together.

Well, we knew each other's names now, and that was some satisfaction.
I rather liked hers--Ajor! And she seemed to like mine, for she
repeated it.

We came to the cliffs beside the little river where it empties into the
bay with the great inland sea beyond. The cliffs were weather-worn and
rotted, and in one place a deep hollow ran back beneath the overhanging
stone for several feet, suggesting shelter for the night. There were
loose rocks strewn all about with which I might build a barricade
across the entrance to the cave, and so I halted there and pointed out
the place to Ajor, trying to make her understand that we would spend
the night there.

As soon as she grasped my meaning, she assented with the Caspakian
equivalent of an affirmative nod, and then touching my rifle, motioned
me to follow her to the river. At the bank she paused, removed her
belt and dagger, dropping them to the ground at her side; then
unfastening the lower edge of her garment from the metal leg-band to
which it was attached, slipped it off her left shoulder and let it drop
to the ground around her feet. It was done so naturally, so simply and
so quickly that it left me gaspi