"What are you two doing out here by yourselves?" asked Salazar. "We got lost," said Shakeh.
Mpanza, speaking educated British English, said: "We thought we saw a Nicterophis melas, a rare species. We took a few steps towards it to confirm our identification, and when we turned around, the rest of them had vanished. We hurried after them, or at least in the direction we thought they had gone; but we must have got turned about.
"After an hour of wandering and yelling, we came out on this grassy place. Then the poöshos came after us. They remind me of the wild hunting dogs of my native continent." He held up the blackthorn stick and kissed it. "Souvenir of Ireland. God bless the Irish!"
"I'd better get you to my camp," said Salazar, "where you can dry out. I dropped some pieces of gear; please wait while I go back for them."
Soon Salazar returned with his pack, properly filled again. He had just rejoined the Patelians when he realized that he had absentmindedly forgotten to retrieve the bundle of canes, which lay scattered where he had dropped the pack. Nevertheless he set out for his camp.
They had been walking only briefly when more Terrans issued from the trees and came towards them. Hilbert Ritter, in the lead, called: "What in Metasu's name are you doing here? We've been hunting all over for you!"
Shakeh Dikranian repeated the explanation. Ritter burst out: "Damn it, I've warned you and warned you not to straggle! The next one who does will be sent back to Sungecho on the next train."
"We're all going back tomorrow, anyway," said Shakeh.
Ritter grumped. On the way to Salazar's camp, Mpanza and Miss Dikranian apologized for the trouble they had caused. Salazar asked:
"How are you making out otherwise, Hilbert?"
Ritter shrugged. "It goes. One piece of good news: A trainkook on the way freight saw Mrs. Eagleton's suitcase on the embankment and picked it up. She got it back."
"Where on Terra would a workman turn in lost property like that?"
"That's Kooks for you. Of course it hasn't stopped her bitching."
"What about?" Glancing about, Salazar saw that Mrs. Eagleton was not with the party that day.
"The case arrived somewhat beat up, which is hardly surprising." Ritter sighed. "Most of the zuta watchers are good people, but in a group like this there's always one pain in the podex." He paused. "Kirk, today's field trip is our last. We have a car reserved back to Sungecho tomorrow on the express. Coming with us?"
Salazar scowled. "Damn it, I think I know the answer to my problem; but I need more days to nail down my proof. I figure that the next ship to Oõi after yours will take me back to Henderson in time to get my next term's class lessons ready. On the other hand, by the time I pay off Choku, I shall be just about broke."
"So you'd better come with us, or you'll lose the low rates on the trains and the ship. Oh, I almost forgot. Here's a letter I picked up at the Amoen post office."
Salazar took the letter. "How much do I owe you for postage due?"
"Fourteen and a half of the local unit. If you're pressed, you can pay me back in Henderson."
Salazar saw the tiny logo of the university museum. As he opened the letter, a grin overspread his features. The letter read:
Dear Kirk:
You know that old bore, the financier Maximus Flamand? The other day he practically hauled me into a bar by force to have a drink. Soon he was weeping into his liquor and telling me what a wonderful thing the museum was and what a great director I was and so on.
Then he said he had long wanted to do something nice for us, and without warning hauled out a check for fifteen hundred that you will—if the Kooks haven't burned down the Sungecho bank as a plot to steal their property—find deposited in your name in that bank. Only a few Kooks here understand commercial paper, and I doubt if any on Sunga do. As some Terran writer once said, the strongest human emotion is fear, and the strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.
Flamand said he was giving it to me as director of the museum with no strings attached. I could use it in any way I liked. So I thought, How better to use it than in support of a small biological research expedition in the hands of a conscientious young scientist?
Kara sends love. Affectionately,
Keith Adams Salazar
PS: I am doing what I can about the other matter mentioned in your last letter.
Kirk Salazar said: "It's okay, Hilbert. My old man has deposited money for me in the Sungecho bank, so I shall stay on until the job is done."
Shakeh Dikranian asked: "Kirk, what's the latest on George Cantemir's lumbering project? Is he going to scalp the mountain like he said?"
"I suppose so," said Salazar.
"Can't you get the Kashanites to help? If George's project goes through, it'll spoil their little paradise."
"They won't do a thing. For one thing, their pacifistic cult doesn't approve of violence, and nothing short of violence is going to stop the Adriana Company. For another, there's a rumor that Cantemir has promised the Supreme Choraga—"
"My daughter," growled Ritter.
"—a whopping bribe not to oppose him. And the cult members will do whatever she says."
"Couldn't you lurk around the lumber camp with your rifle, knocking off lumberjacks one by one? They'd either go out on strike again or quit the job."
"No. For one thing, I'm not a murderer. These lumberjacks aren't scoundrels, just workmen doing what they're hired to do. For another, they're a tough lot, probably better at bushwhacking than I. They'd be more likely to pick me off."
After a pause Shakeh said: "Well, then, all I can think of is for you to start a rival cult. You could do it; I saw your performance on the Ijumo."
Half an hour later Choku had welcomed his employer back to the camp and rigged a frame of branches near the camp fire on which to dry Shakeh's and Mpanza's clothes. The other Patelians had been under a clump of broad-leaved trees when the storm passed and so got only slightly wet.
Salazar was taken aback when Shakeh Dikranian emerged from the tent, naked but for a towel around her middle and holding her clothes in a bundle. Catching Salazar's eye, she said:
"What are you goggling at, Kirk? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?"
While Salazar mentally compared Shakeh's form with that of Alexis, she hung her clothes on the frame. Jomo Mpanza entered the tent and presently thrust out an arm bearing sodden garments, calling:
"I say, will someone kindly hang these up for me?"
"Aren't you coming out?" asked Salazar, taking the clothes.
"I can't. I am not decent."
Salazar chuckled at the relativity of human customs.
Hilbert Ritter's reunited zuta watchers had vanished along the trail to Amoen. The sun was low in a western sky barred by intermittent clouds. Then Choku, preparing dinner, said:
"Sir! Look around! I do believe we have more company!"
Along the trail from the east came George Cantemir with a big-game rifle slung across his back. His beard shone gold in the setting sun. After him came a Kook, a female from its lack of crest, bearing a couple of bulky bundles. Cantemir called: "Hey, Kirk!"
"Hello, George," said Salazar. "Isn't your helper the one who acted as guide when we saw the makutos?"
"The same one. When I told Tootsie how good she was, she switched her allegiance from Chief Yaamo's government to me."
"Flattery will get you everywhere, even among Kooks," said Salazar. "But what brings you here?"
"You do, kid."
"What do you mean?"
"I got word from Henderson that you've put your old man up to interfering in my business. I won't stand for that, get me?"
"I merely told my father what had happened. How's your strike going?"
"Settled, though it cost us a bag of frick and put us a sixtnight behind schedule. The boys are ready to start cutting, and I won't let any loony idealist like you interfere! By God, I mean that! You academics are all alike. Never having had to meet a payroll, you think you're somehow above such shitty considerations as money. You'd let this useless wilderness—" He made a sweeping gesture, "—go to waste just so you can sit around admiring it and writing books about it that nobody reads. Well, we practical businessmen will have something to say about that\"