"Let me see ... all I can get--sixty-four diameters."
"Too much; cut it down to twelve. Center your 'scope. Now look at the
cross-hair grids. Find the lower part of F-7; you should see something
around there."
"More likely F-6 from here," put in Nestor. "That's where my indication
is."
"Oh, yes! I see them. Three natives and two ... my goodness, those
heffalumps _are_ big! Almost as big as elephants!"
Gordon answered, "Yes, and apparently considerably more useful. Well,
keep a sharp watch on the group. Let me know where they go, and be sure
you mark the spot on a large-scale sketch or photo. I've got to send
off a report to Patrol; we're keeping them posted on every development."
"Like a bomb-defusing squad," said Nestor hollowly. "The next crew will
take up where we left off, see?"
The ship, swinging slowly ahead of the little raiding party, came to a
stop about six kilometers above and slightly beyond the coral rocks.
White spoke over the intercom. "I don't think they'll see us here.
We're in the sun. But keep yourselves strapped in, gang; we're going
to move in a hurry if they point that thing at us. You guys below let
me know if they do anything suspicious. I can't see too much on the
control room screens."
In the drive room, the power hummed softly. Relays clicked occasionally
as the minutes passed. The creatures on the ground entered a faint
trail winding among the hills of bright coral rock. Now and then one
of the heffalumps stopped and adjusted the load on his back, using the
middle two of his six limbs. Nestor nudged the language expert's arm.
"Looks like they're getting close to home. Better get set to take some
pictures."
Stuart nodded, having already picked up a plate magazine, and loaded
the camera box on the side of the telescope. He adjusted the controls
from time to time with nervous delicacy, occasionally tapping the
shutter button. Suddenly he switched to higher magnification,
exclaiming, "There they go! Into that cave!" He took three pictures in
rapid succession at different magnifications. He also banged his nose
hard on the eyepiece, and wondered some hours later how it came to be
so tender.
* * * * *
There was a clatter of feet on the steel ladder. Gordon came running
over to him, an unfinished report in one hand and a half-eaten
hamburger in the other. "Lessee," he demanded.
The linguist showed him. Only the cave mouth could be seen now, black
in the hot sunlight. It was halfway up a hill of dense coral, and was
protected from the front by another hill.
The chief took a bite of hamburger and grinned at Stuart. "This is a
bit of luck," he said happily through the mouthful. "We wouldn't have
found that hideout in ten years if they hadn't taken a potshot at us!"
Nestor exhaled cigarette smoke, looking cynical. "Swell. What do we do
now? Wave a hankie at them?"
Gordon's expression became less cheerful. "We don't know yet. Things
have moved a little fast. But whatever we do, we'll have to get it
done fast. You guys might as well know now what came in a little while
ago on the radio." He drew a deep breath. "An Invader base has been
discovered--within striking distance of this area. It's a jolt, of
course, but at least we've finally discovered a base of theirs. Earth
Central says either we close this deal in four days or the planet will
have to be taken over the hard way."
Stuart shook his head sadly, thinking of the already-ruined cities
below. "Our little firm had better live up to its name," he said.