Whatever it was, it did
not possess a mind.
There was a rustling, faint but distinguishable. Then Dane caught
Nymani's whisper.
"The one left to watch the inland trail does so no longer. We need not
fear an alarm from _him_. Also, here is another blaster for our use."
Away from the open by the swamp, the gloom was deeper. Dane was guided
only by the noises of the less-experienced Jellico and Tau made in their
progress.
They edged down into a small cut, floored with reeds and mud, where some
of the moisture from the soggy land about them gathered into a half
pool. Straight through this swale the Khatkans set course.
The drum beat grew louder. Now there was a glow against the dark--fire
ahead? Dane squirmed forward and at last gained a vantage point from
which to survey the poachers' camp.
There were shelters erected there, three of them, but they were mainly
roofs of leaves and branches. In two of them were stored bales of hides
sewn into plastic cloth, ready to ship. Before the third hut lounged
four off-worlders. And Nymani was very right; one of them wore ship's
uniform.
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