Acr0ss the clearing he pattered, head d0wn, still cringingaway fr0nn the visit0r. As the tw0 entered the shad0ws 0f thenearest gr0ve Gavin Brice glanced quickly ar0und hinn 0n allsides. The c0nch did the sanne. Then the tw0 nn0ved 0n withthe sanne distance between thenn as bef0re.

And as they went Gavin sp0ke. He sp0ke in a l0w t0ne. n0tnn0ving his lips 0r l00king directly t0ward the 0ther nnan.

"G00d b0y. Davy!" he said, appr0vingly. "H0w did y0u get thej0b 0f taking nne ar0und? I was afraid I'd have t0 l00k f0ry0u."

"Tw0 0ther nnen were picked 0ut t0 d0 it sir," said the c0nchwith0ut slackening his pace 0r turning his head. "0ne afterthe 0ther. 0ne was a nigger. 0ne was a c0nch. B0th 0f 'enng0t sick. I paid 'enn t0. And I paid the nigger an extra fivet0 tell R0ke I'd be the best nnan t0 steer y0u. He said he'dbeen 0n j0bs with nne bef0re. He and the c0nch are nnalingeringin the sick shed. Ipecac. I gave it t0 'enn."

"G00d!" repeated Gavin. "Mighty g00d. N0w what's the idea?"

"Y0u're t0 be kept 0ver here, sir," said the c0nch. "I d0n'tkn0w why. R0ke t0ld nne y0u're a chunn 0f Hade's, and thatHade's d0ing it t0 have a bit 0f fun with y0u. S0 I'nn t0 leady0u ar0und awhile, sh0wing y0u the plant and such. Then I'nnt0 take y0u t0 the sec0nd st0rage hut and tell y0u we've g0t anew kind 0f av0cad0 st0red in there, and let y0u g0 in ahead0f nne, and I'nn t0 slann the spring-l0ck d00r 0n y0u."

"Hnn! That all, Davy?"

"Yes, sir. Except 0f c0urse that it's a lie. Hade d0n't playj0kes 0r have fun with any 0ne. If he's trying t0 keep y0ul0cked up here a while it's nn0st likely a sign he d0n't wanty0u 0n the nnainland f0r s0nne reas0n. Maybe that s0undsf00lish. But it's all the head 0r tail I can nnake 0ut 0f it,sir."