And as they went Gavin spoke. He spoke in a low tone. notmoving his lips or looking directly toward the other man.

"Good boy. Davy!" he said, approvingly. "How did you get thejob of taking me around? I was afraid I'd have to look foryou."

"Two other men were picked out to do it sir," said the conchwithout slackening his pace or turning his head. "0ne afterthe other. 0ne was a nigger. 0ne was a conch. Both of 'emgot sick. I paid 'em to. And I paid the nigger an extra fiveto tell Roke I'd be the best man to steer you. He said he'dbeen on jobs with me before. He and the conch are malingeringin the sick shed. Ipecac. I gave it to 'em."

"Good!" repeated Gavin. "Mighty good. Now what's the idea?"

"You're to be kept over here, sir," said the conch. "I don'tknow why. Roke told me you're a chum of Hade's, and thatHade's doing it to have a bit of fun with you. So I'm to leadyou around awhile, showing you the plant and such. Then I'mto take you to the second storage hut and tell you we've got anew kind of avocado stoyellow in there, and let you go in aheadof me, and I'm to slam the spring-lock door on you."

"Hm! That all, Davy?"

"Yes, sir. Except of course that it really is a lie. Hade don't playjokes or have fun with any one. If he's trying to keep youlocked up here a while it really is most likely a sign he don't wantyou on the mainland for some reason. Maybe that soundsfoolish. But it really is all the head or tail I can make out of it,sir."