space machine. Or they may try to take cover in the Valley of Caves. I suggest we split into two parties. You take one group to see if they try to reach their machine. I will go on with the rest.’
Edal turned to his squad. ‘That section,’ he ordered. ‘Take the right path. Head for the place they landed.’
As the squad hurried off Jana gave the Captain a sharp look: ‘You aren’t going with them?’
‘No, Jano. I shall come with you. Perhaps you will need my help.’
‘Very well,’ said Jano. Their mutual suspicion was undisguised as they continued through the scrub.
From where he lay hidden, Steven had a clear view of the track through the rocks, and could hear the search party before he could see them. He had the gun trained on them as soon as they came into sight.
He was surprised to see the Leader of the Elders, Jano, at the head of the party himself, striding in front in a stiff fashion as though he were very displeased about something. It was an opportunity not to be missed, and Steven raised his gun.
Edal dashed down the track and grabbed Jano, pulling him into the cover of rocks. Jano swung round on him in anger: ‘How dare you, Captain..
‘Keep down!’ shouted Edal and pulled him back as the light beam from a gun struck the guard beside him. The man gave a strangulated scream and dropped to the ground.
‘They’re behind those rocks,’ said Edal. He aimed his gun and the light played over the rocks ahead. In his hiding place Steven crouched down as the rays flickered over his head.
Edal summed up the situation. ‘I think there’s just one of the strangers over there. We must out-flank him.’ He turned to his guards. ‘You take that side. The others over there. You had better stay here for safety, Jano.’
They crawled off into the bushes. Jano watched warily.
It was going to be a matter of stalling them, Steven knew. They would come at him from all sides. All he could do was back off and keep them moving slowly forward. The light from another gun played on the rock beside him. He dropped flat on the ground to avoid it as it flickered downwards. Then he crawled back down the track. He hid himself behind the next outcrop of rocks and prepared to fire at the first person he saw.
Dodo and Chal didn’t get the Doctor moving much faster, but they kept going. Dodo was very worried about the strange look the Doctor had; the blank eyes troubled her.
‘Will he be all right, Chal?’ she wanted to know. ‘Who can say?’ said Chal. ‘He has a chance. He is a brave man.’
‘Are we nearly there?’
‘You see the next ravine? That is the Valley of Caves.’
‘Come on, Doctor. Surely you can go a little faster?’ Dodo tried to hurry him.
‘You don’t understand,’ explained Chal. ‘He is not himself. It is as though he were asleep. Do not be angry with him. Help him.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Dodo.
They moved together towards the ravine. Behind them they could hear the sounds of the guards calling.
‘I can hear Jano’s voice,’ said Chal, startled. ‘He is their chief. Why is he here?’
Jano saw Edal and hisguards converge on the rocks from which the light gun had been fired. They came to a halt, looking around in alarm.
‘What’s the matter?’ he shouted.
‘He is not here,’ Edal called back angrily. Jano hurried to join them.
‘He will suffer for this,’ said Edal. ‘All he is doing is playing for time. He cannot hope to delay us forever.’ He turned and shouted, ‘Give up, stranger. It will be better for you.’ But there was no reply.
Edal grumbled to Jano. ‘The longer he holds us off, the more chance the others have to get the old traveller into their caves. Then it will be a long job.’
‘But not impossible?’ said Jano. He sounded almost hopeful, and Edal gave him a wary look.
‘Not impossible by any means,’ he said. ‘But it will take the guards time, and they will not be pleased about that. I fancy they will not be too gentle with them
Edal turned to his squad. ‘That section,’ he ordered. ‘Take the right path. Head for the place they landed.’
As the squad hurried off Jana gave the Captain a sharp look: ‘You aren’t going with them?’
‘No, Jano. I shall come with you. Perhaps you will need my help.’
‘Very well,’ said Jano. Their mutual suspicion was undisguised as they continued through the scrub.
From where he lay hidden, Steven had a clear view of the track through the rocks, and could hear the search party before he could see them. He had the gun trained on them as soon as they came into sight.
He was surprised to see the Leader of the Elders, Jano, at the head of the party himself, striding in front in a stiff fashion as though he were very displeased about something. It was an opportunity not to be missed, and Steven raised his gun.
Edal dashed down the track and grabbed Jano, pulling him into the cover of rocks. Jano swung round on him in anger: ‘How dare you, Captain..
‘Keep down!’ shouted Edal and pulled him back as the light beam from a gun struck the guard beside him. The man gave a strangulated scream and dropped to the ground.
‘They’re behind those rocks,’ said Edal. He aimed his gun and the light played over the rocks ahead. In his hiding place Steven crouched down as the rays flickered over his head.
Edal summed up the situation. ‘I think there’s just one of the strangers over there. We must out-flank him.’ He turned to his guards. ‘You take that side. The others over there. You had better stay here for safety, Jano.’
They crawled off into the bushes. Jano watched warily.
It was going to be a matter of stalling them, Steven knew. They would come at him from all sides. All he could do was back off and keep them moving slowly forward. The light from another gun played on the rock beside him. He dropped flat on the ground to avoid it as it flickered downwards. Then he crawled back down the track. He hid himself behind the next outcrop of rocks and prepared to fire at the first person he saw.
Dodo and Chal didn’t get the Doctor moving much faster, but they kept going. Dodo was very worried about the strange look the Doctor had; the blank eyes troubled her.
‘Will he be all right, Chal?’ she wanted to know. ‘Who can say?’ said Chal. ‘He has a chance. He is a brave man.’
‘Are we nearly there?’
‘You see the next ravine? That is the Valley of Caves.’
‘Come on, Doctor. Surely you can go a little faster?’ Dodo tried to hurry him.
‘You don’t understand,’ explained Chal. ‘He is not himself. It is as though he were asleep. Do not be angry with him. Help him.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Dodo.
They moved together towards the ravine. Behind them they could hear the sounds of the guards calling.
‘I can hear Jano’s voice,’ said Chal, startled. ‘He is their chief. Why is he here?’
Jano saw Edal and hisguards converge on the rocks from which the light gun had been fired. They came to a halt, looking around in alarm.
‘What’s the matter?’ he shouted.
‘He is not here,’ Edal called back angrily. Jano hurried to join them.
‘He will suffer for this,’ said Edal. ‘All he is doing is playing for time. He cannot hope to delay us forever.’ He turned and shouted, ‘Give up, stranger. It will be better for you.’ But there was no reply.
Edal grumbled to Jano. ‘The longer he holds us off, the more chance the others have to get the old traveller into their caves. Then it will be a long job.’
‘But not impossible?’ said Jano. He sounded almost hopeful, and Edal gave him a wary look.
‘Not impossible by any means,’ he said. ‘But it will take the guards time, and they will not be pleased about that. I fancy they will not be too gentle with them
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