"Yes, sir."
Extrone drummed his fingers on the stock of the blast rifle. "Tell me
what they look like," he said suddenly.
"Well, sir, they're ... uh...."
"Pretty frightening?"
"No, sir.... Well, in a way, sir."
"But _you_ weren't afraid of them, were you?"
"No, sir. No, because...."
Extrone was smiling innocently. "Good. I want you to do something for
me."
"I ... I...." Ri glanced nervously at Lin out of the tail of his eye.
Lin's face was impassive.
"Of _course_ you will," Extrone said genially. "Get me a rope, Lin. A
good, long, strong rope."
"What are you going to do?" Ri asked, terrified.
"Why, I'm going to tie the rope around your waist and stake you out as
bait."
"No!"
"Oh, come now. When the farn beast hears you scream--you _can_ scream,
by the way?"
Ri swallowed.
"We could find a way to make you."
There was perspiration trickling down Ri's forehead, a single drop,
creeping toward his nose.
"You'll be safe," Extrone said, studying his face with amusement. "I'll
shoot the animal before it reaches you."