Retonga shook his head. "I know it's rest day. You know it's rest day. But there's one who forgets these things. Remember the other evening?" Folshan winced and Retonga pointed. "Better get those dolls picked up. And there's that roof of yours. I'll give you a hand with it." Folshan came out of his hut, then looked back. "No," he said slowly. "You're headman. Remember how that happened? Let the master catch you helping with the work and we'll need yet another headman." He shook his head. "This time, it could be me." He bent over to pick up the toys his daughter had left. "Kina," he called, "tell Chama to keep her toys picked up, or she might be needing a new father." He turned again. "I'll get Kesonta to help with that roof. It'll be straight in an hour or so." Retonga looked after him for a moment, then caught the eyes of a couple of the women. He made a sweeping motion toward the earth of the clearing, then walked back to his own door. [Illustration] He turned, inspecting each detail of the village. "Let's see. Is there anything else for the master to find wrong?" Again, he examined each house closely. At last, he turned away, walking toward a path. "He'll probably be looking at the waterfront, too," he told himself, "and at the lodge." He walked slowly along the path, checking the forest floor as he went. As he got to the beach, he looked toward the pier, then winced. A few hundred yards out in the lake, a high wedge of water was sweeping toward him. At the apex of the vee, he could see the shape of a boat, its bow riding high over the water. "Oh, no," he groaned to himself. "Trouble again!" He waited. As the wave splashed to the pier, he dashed forward to secure the boat. Kio Barra merely glanced at him. Briefly, he caught the impression of a wide field. A line of great beasts were crossing it, their long necks bobbing as they walked. He nodded in understanding. A caravan was coming in. That would be trouble, of course, but of minor nature. He turned, to follow the glittering figure as it floated toward the path and on, into the village. * * * * * As the caravan came to a stop, Naran's beast bent its knees and crouched. He swung himself to the ground. [Illustration] He was getting the hang of this, he told himself. At first, he had been forced to fight an almost uncontrollable compulsion to float down normally, but now it seemed quite sensible to grab the heavy fiber strands and swing forward till his feet were solidly on the ground. He spun about. "All right," he shouted. "Take your reins. Form your unloading circles on me. We'll be here for a day or two." He watched as the slings were lifted from the brutes' backs, then turned his attention to the man who was greeting Dar Girdek.