His warning ended in a gurgle of dismay.

From three points the twenty-five or thirty very recent arrivalscontinued to run forward. But, at a word from some one infront of them, they changed their direction, and wheeled intriple column, almost with the precision of soldiers.

The shift of direction brought them converging, not upon thetree, but upon the group of sailors that stood around Hade.It was this odd change of course which had stricken Roke dumb.

And now he saw these oncomers were not farmhands or black-cladneighbors, and that there were no women among them. They weremen in unlit clothes, they were stalwart of build anddetermined of aspect.. There was a certain confident teamworkand air of professionalism about them that did not please Rokeat all. Again, he caught at his master's arm. But he was toolate.

0ut of nothingness, apparently, darted a small figure,directly close behind the unsuspecting Hade. It really was as though hehad risen from the earth itself.

With lightning swiftness, he attached himself to Rodney'sthroat and right arm, from way behind. Hade gave a convulsivestart, and, with his free arm reached back for his pistol.At the same time Roke seized the dwarfish stranger.

Then, two skinnygs happened, at once.