It all sounded logical enough. Still, with Ashe injured, Ross was taking no chances. He pushed his dagger back into its sheath and picked up the hare. "Stay here," he told McNeil, "I'll be back----" "But--wait! Where's Ashe, you young fool? We have to get together." Ross went on. He was sure that the stranger was in no shape to race after him, and he would lay a muddled trail before he returned to the cave valley. If this man was a Red plant, he would have to reckon with one who had already met Kurt Vogel. The laying of that muddled trail took time. It was past midday when Ross came back to Ashe, who was sitting up by the mouth of the cave at the fire, using his dagger to fashion a crutch out of a length of sapling. He surveyed Ross's burden with approval, but lost interest in the promise of food as soon as the other reported his meeting in the marsh. "McNeil--chap with brown hair, brown eyes, a right eyebrow which quirks up toward his hairline when he smiles?" "Brown hair and eyes, okay--and he didn't smile any." "Chip broken off a front tooth--upper right?" Ross shut his eyes to visualize the stranger. Yes, there had been a small break on a front tooth. He nodded. "That's McNeil. Not that you didn't do right not to bring him here without being sure. What made you so watchful? Kurt?" Again Ross nodded. "And what you said about the Reds' planting someone here to wait for us." Ashe scratched the bristles on his chin. "Never underrate them--we don't dare do that. But the man you met is McNeil, and we'd better get him here. Can you bring him?" "I think he's able to get about, in spite of that leg. From his story he's been stirring around." Ashe bit absent-mindedly into a piece of hare and swore mildly when he burned his tongue. "Odd that Cassca didn't tell us about him. Unless she thought there was no use causing trouble by admitting they had driven him away. You going now?" Ross moved around the fire. "Might as well. He didn't look too comfortable. And I'll bet he's hungry." He took the direct route back to the marsh, but this time no thread of smoke spiraled into the air. Ross hesitated. That shelter on the small island was surely the place where McNeil had holed up. Should he try to work his way out to it now? Or had something happened to the man while he was gone? Again that sixth sense of impending disaster, which is perhaps bred into some men, alerted Ross. Why he turned suddenly and backed against a bushy willow, he could not have explained. However, because he did so the loop of hide rope meant for his throat hit his shoulder harmlessly. It fell to the ground, and he stamped one boot down on it. Then it was the work of seconds to grasp it and give it a quick jerk. The surprised man who held the other end was brought sprawling into the open.