ent, Ling," he said sensibly.

There was laughter at that, and silly applause. Ling swung around and
stripped bare his great pointed fangs in a snarl. Silence fell abruptly,
and he faced Parr again. "You," he said. "You got on--" And he stepped
close, tapping the plates on Parr's chest.

"It's armor," said Parr.

"Huh! Ah--ar--" The word was too much for the creature, whose brain and
mouth alike had forgotten most language. "Well," said Ling, "I want. I
wear."

He fumbled at the fastenings.

Parr jumped clear of him. He had accepted authority a moment ago, but
this armor was his insurance against becoming a beast. "It's mine," he
objected.

Solemnly Ling shook his great browless head, as big as a coal-scuttle
and fringed with bristly beard. "Mine," he said roughly. "I boss. You--"

He caught Parr by the arm and dragged him close. So quick and powerful
was the clutch that it almost dislocated Parr's shoulder. By sheer
instinct, Parr struck with his free fist.

Square and solid on that coarse-bearded chin landed Parr's knuckles,
with their covering of armor plate. And Ling, confident to the point of
innocence because of his strength and authority, had neither guarded nor
prepared. His great head jerked back as though it would fly from his
shoulders. And Parr, wrenching loose, followed up the advantage because
a second's hesitation would be his downfall.

He hit Ling on the lower end of the breastbone, where his belly would be
softest. Above him he heard the beast-giant grunt in pain, and then
Parr swung roundabout to score on the jaw again. Ling actually gave
back, dropping his immense bludgeon. A body less firmly pedestalled upon
powerful legs and scoop-shovel feet would have gone down. It took a
moment for him to recover.

"Aaaah!" he roared. "I kill you!"

Parr had stooped and caught up his own discarded club. Now he threw it
full at the distorted face of his enemy. Ling's hands flashed up like a
shortstop's, snatched the stick in midair, and broke it in two like a
carrot. Another roar, and Ling charged, head down and arms outflung for
a pulverizing grapple.

Parr sprang sidewise. Ling blundered past. His stooping head crashed
against a tree, his whole body bounded back from the impact, and down he
went in a quivering, moaning heap. He did not get up.

Parr backed away, gazing at the others. They stood silent in a score of
attitudes, like children playing at moving statues. Then:

"Huh!" cried one. "N