e going to get into the
house--and on into the little pond in the inner garden? He grinned as
he thought of Pete's remark.

"It'll be simple for you," he had said enviously. "All you have to do
is tell any guard you meet to stand aside and forget he ever saw you.
Then you go on down to the vault. Wish I had that ability of yours."

"Sure," he told himself, "hang your clothes on yonder bush--and get
right into the water. It's just a simple matter of diving down ten feet
and pushing the right rock the right number of times--in the right
directions. Nothing to it. And then you go through the pressure trap,
and there you are. Simple!"

And who was going to guard the pond while he was down there? Suppose he
broke surface right in front of a flock of trigger-happy Enforcers? He
sighed.

"Oh, well," he told himself. "You asked for it. Now, you've got it.
Have fun." He looked into the food package and selected a meal cake.

* * * * *

At last, he dusted his fingers and leaned back lazily against his pack,
looking into the clear sky. For a few minutes, he simply relaxed, his
eyes fixed on the infinite distance, his mind a near blank.

Other pack-laden men strode past him, intent on their destination. At
last, a group swung by and the sound of their conversation brought Don
out of his semitrance. Behind the group was another, who walked a
little faster than the others, in an apparent effort to catch up. Don
pushed himself up with the aid of his staff, drew a few deep breaths,
and started pacing along behind him.

Ahead, the group went around a curve in the path. The man ahead of Don
cut over into the grass, still intent on catching up with his
companions, who were not more than a few meters ahead. Don watched him
casually.

There was no use, he thought, in trying to keep up with this fellow or
his companions. It was too hot. Besides, this was probably a clan group
who would not welcome company--especially the company of one of no
clan.

He started to slow down to a normal pace, then his attention was caught
by movement by a rock just ahead of the other. A small, greenish-brown
body was vaguely outlined in the long grass nearly in the man's path.

Don looked more closely. The animal was heavy-bodied, with rather short
forelegs. Powerful hind legs were tucked under the body, twitching a
little now. The forelegs pawed slightly at the grass and the flat, wide
head probed out, exte