Campbell tried to force the returning life faster through his body. The
man's face was in shadow. Campbell looked up with sultry, furious eyes
and achieved a definite motion toward getting up.
The kneeling giant put out his right arm. The green light burned on it.
Campbell's eyes followed it down toward his throat. His face became a
harsh, irregular mask cut from dark wood.
The arm was heavily, beautifully muscled. But where the hand should
have been there was a leather harness and a hook of polished Martian
bronze.
* * * * *
Campbell knew what had struck him. The thin, hard curve of that hook,
more potent than the edge of any hand.
The point pricked his throat, just over the pulse on the left side. The
man said softly:
"Lie still, little man, and answer."
Campbell lay still. There was nothing else to do. He said, "I'm Thomas
Black, if that helps. Who are you?"
"What did Tredrick tell you to do?"
"To get the hell out. What gives with you?" If that Taxil was spreading
the word about him, he'd better hurry. Campbell decided to take a
chance. The guy with the hook didn't seem to love Tredrick.
"The black boy in the radio room told me to come aboard and wait. Seems
he's sore at Tredrick, too. So am I. That makes us all pals, doesn't
it?"
"You lie, little man." The deep voice was quietly certain. "You were
sent to spy. Answer!"
The point of the hook put the exclamation point on that word. Campbell
winced away. He wished the lug wouldn't call him "little man." He
wouldn't remember ever having felt more hopelessly scared.
He said, "Damn your eyes, I'm not lying. Check with the Taxil. He'll
tell you."
"And betray him to Tredrick? You're clumsy, little man."
The hook bit deeper. Campbell's neck began to bleed. He felt all right
again otherwise. He wondered whether he'd have a chance of kicking the
man in the stomach before his throat was torn out. He tried to draw
farther away, but the pipe wall wouldn't give.
A woman's voice spoke then, quite suddenly, from beyond the green
light. Campbell jumped. He hadn't even thought about anyone else being
there. Now it was obvious that someone was holding the light.