"That seems a sensible choice," said Namour mildly.

Jardine slapped the table.

"Namour, you may well be the wisest man at Araminta Station, in spite of being a Clattuc."

"Kind of you to say so." Namour rose to his feet.

"Well, I'll amble on and leave you Lions to roar in peace.

Goodnight, all."

On the following morning, during breakfast, Scharde took note of Glawen's preoccupation. He said: "You're very quiet.

How went the meeting?"

Glawen gathered in his thoughts from far places.

"Much as usual, or so I suppose. I heard wild talk by the bucketful, if that's any clue."

Scharde chuckled.

"A lively affair, in short."

"A bit too lively, I should say. No one seems to notice where sanity stops and hysteria begins. At times I couldn't believe what I was hearing."

Scharde leaned back in his chair.

"Kirdy reports to Bodwyn Wook from a somewhat different perspective."

"No doubt. Kirdy may be the worst of the lot. He enjoys every minute of it."

"Kirdy is experiencing a late and rather ponderous adolescence," said Scharde.

"What strikes you as lunacy, he considers just high spirits and playacting."

Glawen gave a disparaging grunt.

"That theory is all very well for Kirdy, and maybe Aries, who are Mummers, but how do you explain Namour who wisely considers even Kiper's crazy notions? Is Namour just being polite? Is he, too, playacting? Or does he have something else in mind? I find him hard to understand."

"There you're not alone. Namour plays whatever role he thinks immediately useful, and sometimes just for practice.

I could talk all day about Namour and still not finish."

Glawen went to look out the window. He grumbled: "I can't say that I like this undercover work. It's absolutely embarrassing to sit as a full high-tailed Bold Lion, roaring and growling at the signal."

"The job won't last forever. I might mention that you have already gained Bodwyn Wook's approval, and if you do well as a Bold Lion, you'll be established in your career no matter what your Status Index."

"Another depressing thought," said Glawen.

"It's only two years to cutoff."

"You worry too much! Somehow we'll work it out, even if I must take an early retirement. If worse comes to worst you can marry into the House."

"I don't know about that. Namour never seemed to like that solution."

"NanK ur could have married back a dozen times. Although Spanchetta wouldn't let him marry her sister Smonny, or so the rumor goes."

"What a thought! If ever I marry, which is doubtful, I have someone else in mind."

"In any case, it's too early to think about such dismal matters."

"I'm certainly in no hurry."

Scharde presently departed the chambers on business of his own. Glawen stood by the window looking out over the countryside.

The morning was fine. Syrene shone bright in a cloudless sky. The Clattuc gardens were at their best, and Glawen's gloom began to dissipate.

A pleasant thought entered his mind. He went to the telephone and called Riverview House.

To his relief, Wayness answered the chime. At the sight of Glawen's face, she allowed her own image to appear on the screen. Her voice was cordial, if a trifle prim.

"Good morning, Glawen."

"That is an understatement. The day is superb!"

Wayness clapped her hands.

"How nice that you have notified me so early in the day!"

Glawen said modestly: "I would have called even earlier, but I wanted to make certain of the facts."

"Thank you, Glawen! I approve of such caution. If you called at dawn with your glad news, and we dragged ourselves from bed to find a torrent of rain, everyone would be somewhat nonplussed."

"Exactly so." Glawen took note of Wayness' dark green blouse with white cuffs and a white lace collar.

"Why are you dressed in such finery? Are you going somewhere?"

Wayness smilingly shook her head.

"It's our Naturalist vanity. We can't allow anyone to think that he can catch us in dishabille simply by calling at dawn."

"Come, now! It's later than that. You're off on some sort of outing."

"As a matter of fact, guests are visiting from Stroma and today I'm on my best behavior. I must also dress the part, so that I am not considered a bedraggled little tomboy."

"If you continued to wear nice clothes and guaranteed to behave yourself, would you be allowed to come sailing for an hour or two?"

"Today? When the guests include that important young philosopher Julian Bohost?"