to diminish its force; Kathcar peered up and down the strip. He gave a startled hiss. “There's a glat! Quick! To the tree!"
The three ran to the tree and scrambled up the ladder. Kathcar secured the trap door just as something heavy slammed against the tree.
Kathcar spoke to Glawen in dour tones: “I hope no more of your friends are captives?"
Glawen ignored the remark. He asked Chilke "What happened to you?"
“Nothing at all complicated,“ said Chilke. “Yesterday morning two men jumped me, threw a bag over my head, taped my arms, stowed me aboard our new J-2 flyer and flew away. Next thing I knew I was here. One of the men, incidentally, was Benjamie; I could smell the fancy pomade he wears in his hair. When I get back to the Station, he is out of a job, since he cannot be trusted."
“Then what happened?"
“I heard some new voices. Someone led me into a shack and pulled the bag from my head. Certain peculiar things happened next which I am still sorting out. Afterwards, I was conducted to the doghole and dropped in. This gentleman here brought me a bucket of porridge. He asked me my name, and mentioned that it looked like rain. After that I was left alone, until I heard your voice, which I was glad to hear."
"Odd," said Glawen.
“What will we do now?"
“As soon as we can see, we leave. We won’t be missed. Until they come to the cookhouse for breakfast and find no Kathcar.”
Chilke peered through the dark. "Your name is Kathcar?"
“That is correct." Kathcar spoke stiffly.
"You were right about the rain."
“It is a terrible storm,” said Kathcar. ”The worst I have seen."
“You have been here long?"
“Not too long.”
“How long?”
“About two months.”
“What was your crime?”
Kathcar responded tersely: "I am not sure in my own mind why I am here. Apparently I offended Titus Pompo, or something of the sort.”
Glawen told Chilke and Scharde: “Kathcar is a Naturalist from Stroma.”
“Interesting” said Scharde. "How is it that you are acquainted with Titus Pompo?”
“It is a complicated matter, not presently relevant."
Scharde said nothing. Glawen asked him: “Are you tired? Do you wish to sleep?”
“I am probably stronger than I look.” Scharde's voice drifted away. “I think I’ll try to sleep.”
"Give your gun to Chilke."
Scharde gave over the gun, crawled across the hut and stretched out on the floor. Almost at once he dozed.
The rain waxed and waned: slowing for a few minutes as if passing over, then suddenly striking down in new fury. Kathcar marveled anew: “This storm is incredible!
Chilke said: “Scharde has been here about two months. Who came first: you or Scharde?"
Kathcar appeared to dislike questions. As before, he answered curtly: “Scharde was here when I arrived.”
“And no one explained why you were here?"
“No.”
“What of your family and friends at Stroma? Do they know of your whereabouts?"
Bitterness tinged Kathcar’s voice. “As to that, I cannot guess."
Glawen asked: ''Were you an LPFer at Stroma, or a Chartist?”
Kathcar surveyed Glawen sharply. “Why do you ask?”
“It might cast light on why you were imprisoned.”
“I doubt it."
Chilke said: "If you have run afoul of Titus Pompo, you must be a Chartist.”
Kathcar spoke frostily: “Like the other progressives of Stroma, I endorse the ideals of the LPF party.”
“Very strange!“ declared Chilke. “You were clapped into jail by your best friends and good clients: I refer, of course, to the Yips.”
“No doubt there was a mistake, or a misunderstanding,” said Kathcar. “I do not care to dwell on the matter, and I will let bygones be bygones.”
“You Peefers are a high-minded group, “said Chilke. “As for me, I crave revenge.”
Glawen asked Kathcar: “You are acquainted with Dame Clytie Vergence?”
"I am acquainted with this woman.”
"And Julian Bohost?”
"I know him. At one time he was considered an influential member of the
The three ran to the tree and scrambled up the ladder. Kathcar secured the trap door just as something heavy slammed against the tree.
Kathcar spoke to Glawen in dour tones: “I hope no more of your friends are captives?"
Glawen ignored the remark. He asked Chilke "What happened to you?"
“Nothing at all complicated,“ said Chilke. “Yesterday morning two men jumped me, threw a bag over my head, taped my arms, stowed me aboard our new J-2 flyer and flew away. Next thing I knew I was here. One of the men, incidentally, was Benjamie; I could smell the fancy pomade he wears in his hair. When I get back to the Station, he is out of a job, since he cannot be trusted."
“Then what happened?"
“I heard some new voices. Someone led me into a shack and pulled the bag from my head. Certain peculiar things happened next which I am still sorting out. Afterwards, I was conducted to the doghole and dropped in. This gentleman here brought me a bucket of porridge. He asked me my name, and mentioned that it looked like rain. After that I was left alone, until I heard your voice, which I was glad to hear."
"Odd," said Glawen.
“What will we do now?"
“As soon as we can see, we leave. We won’t be missed. Until they come to the cookhouse for breakfast and find no Kathcar.”
Chilke peered through the dark. "Your name is Kathcar?"
“That is correct." Kathcar spoke stiffly.
"You were right about the rain."
“It is a terrible storm,” said Kathcar. ”The worst I have seen."
“You have been here long?"
“Not too long.”
“How long?”
“About two months.”
“What was your crime?”
Kathcar responded tersely: "I am not sure in my own mind why I am here. Apparently I offended Titus Pompo, or something of the sort.”
Glawen told Chilke and Scharde: “Kathcar is a Naturalist from Stroma.”
“Interesting” said Scharde. "How is it that you are acquainted with Titus Pompo?”
“It is a complicated matter, not presently relevant."
Scharde said nothing. Glawen asked him: “Are you tired? Do you wish to sleep?”
“I am probably stronger than I look.” Scharde's voice drifted away. “I think I’ll try to sleep.”
"Give your gun to Chilke."
Scharde gave over the gun, crawled across the hut and stretched out on the floor. Almost at once he dozed.
The rain waxed and waned: slowing for a few minutes as if passing over, then suddenly striking down in new fury. Kathcar marveled anew: “This storm is incredible!
Chilke said: “Scharde has been here about two months. Who came first: you or Scharde?"
Kathcar appeared to dislike questions. As before, he answered curtly: “Scharde was here when I arrived.”
“And no one explained why you were here?"
“No.”
“What of your family and friends at Stroma? Do they know of your whereabouts?"
Bitterness tinged Kathcar’s voice. “As to that, I cannot guess."
Glawen asked: ''Were you an LPFer at Stroma, or a Chartist?”
Kathcar surveyed Glawen sharply. “Why do you ask?”
“It might cast light on why you were imprisoned.”
“I doubt it."
Chilke said: "If you have run afoul of Titus Pompo, you must be a Chartist.”
Kathcar spoke frostily: “Like the other progressives of Stroma, I endorse the ideals of the LPF party.”
“Very strange!“ declared Chilke. “You were clapped into jail by your best friends and good clients: I refer, of course, to the Yips.”
“No doubt there was a mistake, or a misunderstanding,” said Kathcar. “I do not care to dwell on the matter, and I will let bygones be bygones.”
“You Peefers are a high-minded group, “said Chilke. “As for me, I crave revenge.”
Glawen asked Kathcar: “You are acquainted with Dame Clytie Vergence?”
"I am acquainted with this woman.”
"And Julian Bohost?”
"I know him. At one time he was considered an influential member of the
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