in a frenzy to escape, it went with a rush into the far
darkness.

The Hawk dropped low again, hoping that his gun's quick flash had not
been observed. He had not wished to wound the lemak mortally, for no
matter how accurate his shot the monster would take long to die, and
scream and thrash as it did so. One short spit of orange was
preferable to a prolonged hullabaloo. But even that might have
betrayed him....

With elaborate caution, he reconnoitered Lar Tantril's ranch.

* * * * *

From above, the ranch clearing was a pool of faint light contained in
black leagues of jungle and the edge of the Great Briney. Slanting
shadows and the dark bulks of buildings that were unlit rendered the
details vague, but under prolonged scrutiny the appointments of the
ranch became visible.

The clearing was a circle some two hundred yards in diameter. Just
inside the jungle wall was the first line of protection, a
steel-barbed, twenty-foot-high fence, its strong corded links
interwoven with electrified wires. Well within this fence stood five
buildings, low, squat and one-storied, four of them forming a broken
square around the central fifth. Two buildings were pierced by low
rows of lighted windows, evidence that they were the barracks of the
workers; two others, devoted to the processing of the isuan weed, were
now dark and silent. The central building was smaller, with
window-ports that were glowing eyes in the smooth metal walls. It was
the dwelling of the master, Lar Tantril.

Close to the central building rose a hundred-foot tower, topped by the
watch-beacon. At three equi-distant points around the encompassing
fence, small, square platforms were held sixty feet aloft by mast-like
triangular towers, up which foot-rungs led. And on each platform could
be made out the figure of a Venusian guard.

Ceaselessly these guards turned and scanned the jungle, the heavens,
the unbroken dark prairie of the lake, alert for anything of
suspicion. Lar Tantril had good reasons for maintaining a constant
watch over his stronghold, and his guards' eyes were sharpened by
knowledge of the severe payment laxness would bring. Close at hand in
the platforms were knobs which, pressed, would ring a clanging alarm
through all the buildings below; and each guard wore two ray-gun
holsters.

Despite the guards and the ugly spikes of the fence, however, the
ranch from above appeared peaceful, calm and harmless. No m