Part 4 (1/2)
A half-hour later he found nothing but some odd, almost obliterated marks on gra.s.s too resilient to hold traces very long. And from them he could make nothing.
He knew where he was, even if he did not know how he got here. The L-B--if it did exist--was to the west. He had a vivid mental picture of the rocket shape, its once silvery sides dulled by exposure, canted crookedly amid trees. And he was going to find it!
Beyond the edge of any conscious sense there was a new stir. He was contacted again, tested. A forest called delicately in its alien way.
Rynch had a fleeting thought of trees, was not aware of more than a mild desire to see what lay in their shade.
For the present his own problem held him. That which beckoned was defeated, repulsed by his indifference. While Rynch started at a steady distance to trot towards the east, far away a process akin to a relay clicked into a second set of impulse orders.
Well above the planet Hume spun a dial to bring in the image of the wide stretches of continents, the small patches of seas. They would set down on the western land ma.s.s. Its climate, geographical features and surface provided the best site. And he had the very important co-ordinates for their camp already taped in the directo.
”That's Jumala.”
He did not glance around to see what effect that screen view had on the other four men in the control cabin of the safari s.h.i.+p. Just now he was striving to master his impatience. The slightest hint could give birth to a suspicion which would blast their whole scheme. Wa.s.s might have had a hand in the selection of the three clients, but they would certainly be far from briefed on the truth of any discovery made on Jumala--they had to be for the safety of the whole enterprise.
The fourth man, serving as his gearman for this trip, was Wa.s.s' own insurance against any wrong move on Hume's part. And the Out-Hunter respected him as being man enough to be wary of giving any suspicion of going counter to the agreed plan.
Dawn was touching up the main points of the western continent, and he must set this s.p.a.cer down within a day's journey of the abandoned L-B.
Exploration in that direction would be the first logical move for his party. They could not be openly steered to the find, but there were ways of directing a hunt which would do as well.
Two days ago, according to schedule, their castaway had been deposited here with a sub-conscious command to remain in the general area. There had been a slight element of risk in leaving him alone, armed only with the crude weapons he could manipulate, but that was part of the gamble.
They were down--right on the mark. Hume saw to the unpacking and activating of those machines and appliances which would protect and serve his civ clients. He slapped the last inflate valve on a bubble tent, watched it critically as it billowed from a small roll of fabric into a weather resistant, one-room, air-conditioned and heated shelter.
”Ready and waiting for you to move in, Gentleh.o.m.o,” he reported to the small man who stood gazing about him with a child's wondering interest in the new and strange.
”Very ingenious, Hunter. Ah--now just what might that be?” His voice was also eager as he pointed a finger to the east.
4
Hume glanced up alertly. There was a bare chance that ”Brodie” might have witnessed their arrival and might be coming in now to save them all a great amount of time and trouble by acting the overjoyed, rescued castaway.
But he could sight nothing at all in that direction to excite any attention. The distant mountains provided a stark, dark blue background. Up their foothills and lower slopes was a thick furring of trees with foliage of so deep a green as to register black from this distance. And on the level country was the lighter blue-green of the other variety of wood edging the open country about the river. In there rested the L-B.
”I don't see anything!” he snapped, so sharply the little man stared at him in open surprise. Hume forced a quick smile.
”Just what did you sight, Gentleh.o.m.o Starns? There is no large game in the woodlands.”
”This was not an animal, Hunter. Rather a flash of light, just about there.” Again he pointed.
Sun, Hume thought, could have been reflected from some portion of the L-B. He had believed that small s.p.a.cer so covered with vines and ringed in by trees that it could not have been so sighted. But a storm might have disposed of some of nature's cloaking. If so Starns'
interest must be fed, he would make an ideal discoverer.
”Odd.” Hume produced his distance gla.s.ses. ”Just where, Gentleh.o.m.o?”
”There.” Starns obligingly pointed a third time.
If there had been anything to see it was gone now. But it did lie in the right direction. For a second or two Hume was uneasy. Things seemed to be working too well; his cynical distrust was triggered by fitting so smoothly.