He's not in his room, nor in the lobby nor yet in the library. Where else could he be?"

"What of the gallery? Could he be looking over the pictures?"

"I looked there too."

"Surely he hasn't gone for a walk--unless he's far braver than I," said Wayness.

"Here he comes now," said Milo.

Wayness asked: "Julian, where have you been?"

"Here and there," said Julian airily. He wore a white suit with a red and blue blazon at the neck and a red sash at his waist.

Milo said: "I looked everywhere for you. Perhaps you'll reveal your hiding place?"

"No large affair, nothing to worry about," said Julian.

"Is it a secret?" asked Wayness.

"Of course not," said Julian curtly.

"If you must know, I went out to the stables to look over the situation for myself."

"You can't see much this time of night," said Glawen.

"The bunters are already in their stalls."

"I spoke for a few minutes with the Yips. I was curious to discover what they really thought of their jobs."

"And they told you?"

"We had a pleasant conversation," said Julian with dignity.

"When they learned I was LPF they opened up. The head groom's name is Orreduc Manilaw Rodenart, or something of that sort. He is a person of quick intelligence, and is surprisingly cheerful. The same applies

to the whole crew. I heard not a single surly word. I find their | equanimity remarkable." | "They're quite well paid," said Glawen.

"Although I suppose the | Oomphaw takes all their money." I "That's when you'd hear surly words from me," said Milo. 'j Julian ignored the remarks.

"Like myself, they hope for friendlier times. I truly believe that some sort of accommodation is possible, given goodwill in all quarters.

The LPF is willing to take the lead in this regard. I am sure that we could arrange this world for the benefit '| of everyone concerned." | "Under the leadership of the Peelers? Can we anticipate the anointment of Julian Bohost as Grand Oomphaw of Cadwal?"

| Julian paid him no heed.

"Surprisingly, Orreduc knew next to | nothing of the LPF. I explained our goals and mentioned my own place in the organization, and he was most impressed.

It was quite heartwarming."

Wayness had become bored and was happy to discover a distraction. She pointed into the sky, where dusk still lingered.

"What in the world is that thing?"

Glawen looked up.

"You are looking at a Mad Mountain night whisk It's headed for that cardamom tree yonder."

"It looks like a big bundle of black fluff. Doesn't it have wings?"

"It's mostly air, a mouth, a gut and black plumes. It vibrates fibrils which create lift, and the creature flies.

It will now perch in the tree and catch insects."

The night-whisk settled delicately upon the topmost branch of the cardamom tree. Wayness pointed.

"You can see its eyes glittering, like little red lights! What an odd creature!"

"They almost became extinct, and all the biologists wondered why. Then someone discovered that the Yips were taking time off from work to climb up to the nests, kill the birds and sell the plumes to the tourists. Bureau B quickly invoked Statute Eleven of the Charter, which addresses willful destruction of indigenous species for profit. Under this law the killing of the night-whisks became a crime punish able by death, and the poaching stopped at once."

"Death?" cried Julian in consternation.

"For hunting a bird?

Isn't that extreme?"

"It doesn't seem so to me," said Glawen.

"No one stands in the slightest danger unless he breaks the law. It is transparently simple."

"I understand!" said Milo.

"I will explain to Julian. If I jump off a cliff, I will die. If I kill a night-whisk, I will die. Both acts are discretionary, both are suicide, and a person makes his own choice."

Wayness said virtuously: "I'm not afraid of the law. But then I don't intend to kill night-whisks and sell plumes."

Julian, with a sardonic chuckle, said: "Naturally you do not worry, since no matter what, the law would never be applied to you. Only to some miserable Yip."

Milo asked Wayness: "What of that? Is Julian right? Would Father sentence you to death for poaching?"

"Possibly not," said Wayness.

"I'd certainly be sent to my room."

A waiter appeared at the table. He spread a red, white and black checked cloth, brought candelabra and set the candles alight and in due course served the dinner.

The four spoke little, each occupied with his own thoughts.

The candles flickered in the faintest of airs and from the plain came sounds: