ran his
hands through the clean-smelling fur and the touch warmed his fingers.
The animal squirmed and licked his fingers.

"It has got your taste," said the native. "Be all right now. It is
yours." He turned and walked into the mist.

Bolden got in and started the motors while the animal climbed into the
seat beside him. It was a friendly thing and he couldn't understand why
the natives always kept it caged.

He headed straight up, looking for a way over the mountains to avoid the
impending storm. Fog made it difficult to tell where the peaks were and
he had to drop lower, following meandering valleys. He flew as swiftly
as limited visibility would allow, but he hadn't gone far when the storm
broke. He tried to go over the top of it, but this storm seemed to have
no top. The region was incompletely mapped and even radar wasn't much
help in the tremendous electrical display that raged around the ship.

His arms ached as he clung to the controls. His hands weren't actually
cold, they were numb. His legs were leaden. The creature crept closer to
him and he had to nudge it away. Momentarily the distraction cleared his
head. He couldn't put it off any longer. He had to land and wait out the
storm--if he could find a place to land.

Flexing his hands until he worked some feeling into them, he inched the
ship lower. A canyon wall loomed at one side and he had to veer away and
keep on looking.

Eventually he found his refuge--a narrow valley where the force of the
winds was not extreme--and he set the land anchor. Unless something
drastic happened, it would hold.

* * * * *

He made the seat into a bed, decided he was too tired to eat, and went
directly to sleep. When he awakened, the storm was still raging and the
little animal was snoozing by his side.

He felt well enough to eat. The native hadn't explained what the animal
should be fed, but it accepted everything Bolden offered. Apparently it
was as omnivorous as Man. Before lying down again, he made the other
seat into a bed, although it didn't seem to matter. The creature
preferred being as close to him as it could get and he didn't object.
The warmth was comforting.

Alternately dozing and waking he waited out the storm. It lasted a day
and a half. Finally the sun was shining. This was two days since he had
first fallen ill, four days after leaving the settlement.

Bolden felt much improved. His hands were nearly nor