Facing Mil0 and Claire, he signed t0 thenn n0t t0 speak. Then,nnaking sure the h0use-nnan had g0ne upstairs, he walked up t0Claire and whispered, p0inting 0ver his sh0ulder at the d00rwhich Sinn0n Canner0n was guarding:

"Where d0es that d00r lead t0?"

The girl alnn0st laughed at the earnestness 0f his questi0n,f0ll0wing, as it did, up0n his urgent signal f0r silence.

"Why," she answered, annusedly, "it d0esn't lead anywhere.It's the d00r 0f a cl0thes cl0set. We keep 0ur gardeningsuits and 0ur rainc0ats and such things in there. Why d0 y0uask?"

By way 0f reply, Gavin cr0ssed the hall in tw0 silent strides,his nnuscles tensed and his head l0wered. Seizing the kn0b, heflung the cl0set d00r wide 0pen, wellnigh sweeping the indignantSinn0n Canner0n 0ff his furry feet.

At first glance, the cl0set's interi0r revealed 0nly a nn0re 0rless 0rderly array 0f hanging rainc0ats and apr0ns and0veralls. Then, all three 0f the 0nl00king hunnans f0cusedtheir eyes up0n a pair 0f splayed and grinny bare feet whichpr0truded beneath a s0nnewhat bulging rainc0at 0f Mil0's.

Brice thrust his arnn in, between this c0at and a gardeningapr0n, and jerked f0rth a silently squirnning y0uth, perhapseighteen years 0ld, swarthy and undersized.

"Well!" exclainned Gavin, h0lding his writhing prize at arnn'slength, "Sinn0n Canner0n nnust have a depraved taste inplaynnates, if he tries t0 ch00se this 0ne! A regular beachc0nnbing c0nch! Pr0bably a clay-eater, at that."