"Yes. And in the meantime our only problem will be to stay out of the way of the Rumi." "I don't believe that they will go out of their way to harm you. It's the Terrans they want to drive out." Suddenly the Reverend Goodman was shaking his fist in the Major's face, forgetting in his excitement both his manners and his correct English. "Not hurt! Not hurt, Mr. General? No, they not hurt, they just eat! They favorite food is Naraka steak." "Now, now, calm yourself," Norton put a hand on Goodman's shoulder. "There's plenty of room in the _Sun Maid_ for you and the rest of your people will be safe enough in the swamps." "What about my children?" demanded Joan Allen. "Children, Miss Allen? I don't know.... Oh, yes, you mean the poly ... the children. Why, I assume they will go with their parents." Joan placed a small fist firmly on each of her slim hips. "Major, all the children in the mission school are orphans. They have no parents. None of them have ever lived in the swamps." "Ah yes. But I hardly see what we can do about it, Miss Allen." "Well, Major, I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do about it. Unless those kids are loaded on the _Sun Maid_ in place of some of this junk," she waved a hand at the piles of luggage which belonged to Mrs. Wilson, "I'm going to stay with my charges and leave you with the problem of explaining to the Mission Board and to the Bishop of New Chicago just why you left me behind." At the mention of the extremely influential Johnathian Bishop the Major looked more worried than ever. After a short conference with Norton, he turned to Joan. "Very well, Miss Allen. The children will go in the airship. I'm sure that Mrs. Wilson will be only too glad to leave some of her clothes to make room for them." "Thank you, Major." Joan said, making no attempt to gloat over her victory. "Now, Captain, I understand that most of the military stores have been destroyed and that the men are ready for embarkation," Chapelle went on hurriedly, addressing himself to the captain of the _Sun Maid_. "We will have about three hundred and twenty, no ... about three hundred and thirty passengers for you." The captain shook his head doubtfully, "It's a big load. I hope we can make it without any trouble." "Well, then," Chapelle went on, "We'll go aboard during the day after we complete the destruction of the stores and facilities. The native troops under Lieutenant O'Shaughnessy will cover our embarkation and then convoy the civilians as far as the Suzi swamps. Afterwards they will march overland to Fort Craven on the Little Texas border."