"That would be the proper area: just about there. But, as you can see, it's quite inaccessible, and this is how we must describe it to Bodwyn Wook, without inconsistency in our reports."

"But I don't agree with you. I think we should give it a try."

"How will you get down to the roof? It's fifteen feet or better."

"As I recall, Aries came to Yipton wearing a fine cloak of stout material."

"True. Rather too fine for the occasion, if you ask me."

"The theft of this cloak from Aries' room will cause consternation but no surprise, and Aries will learn to dress more modestly in the future."

Kirdy gave a dry chuckle.

"Aries might even volunteer his cloak, were he asked."

"Possibly, but when one asks permission, one often gets no for an

answer. As it is, Aries has not specifically forbidden us the cloak, which is good enough for me."

"Surely his door is locked."

Glawen examined Kirdy's door.

"Notice: the jambs are split bamboo and not at all rigid. Are you carrying your big clasp knife?"

Kirdy wordlessly brought forth the knife. Glawen took it to the door into Aries' room. While Kirdy kept watch, Glawen inserted the heavy knife blade between door and frame. He applied gentle pressure;

the frame sprang aside, allowing the door to slide past the latch. Glawen entered the room, took up the cloak, retreated, closed the door carefully, and the two returned to Kirdy's room. H Glawen cut away the cincture of silver lace which Kirdy rolled into a fight wad and discarded.

Glawen cut the cloak into long strips, which Kirdy tied together, to produce a rope twenty feet long. Glawen tied one end to the window frame and lowered the other end to the roof below.

"Now, before my courage gives out " "Courage?" Kirdy grunted.

"I call it suicidal Clattuc recklessness."

"One last precaution. I might get lost out there. Take the night-light and hold it in the window. If you hear me whistle, move the light in a circle."

"Right. Needless to say, be careful."

"Needless to say. Well, here I go."

Glawen hesitated only long enough to look right and left along the roof, then lowered himself down the makeshift rope. Gingerly he rested his feet on the plaited thatch, putting down his full weight only when he felt solidity beneath them.

Now he must locate a rafter under the palm-frond panels, and never allow his full weight to rest anywhere else. The simplest and most "direct route would take him up to the ridge, then eastward along the ridge to the area of Bodwyn Wook's interest.

He found a convenient rafter. Moving with the utmost delicacy, to avoid making crackling or squeaking sounds, which might attract attention below, he moved up the slope.

From time to time he looked over his shoulder, thus preserving his orientation with the night-light. He arrived at a hip, which provided less precarious support, and climbed rapidly on his hands and knees.

He reached the ridge and, sitting astride, looked back to the loom of the hotel across a gulf of black shadow. So far, so good. For a moment he sat resting, surrounded by a landscape of irrational shapes colored pale pink and black.

Urgency pressed on him. He set off along the ridge, scuttling like a great rat. His fear was suspended; he felt almost exhilaration.

At last he halted, and surveying the geometry of the roof, decided that he had come far enough. Beneath him now should be the target area. What would happen to him if he were caught? His mind recoiled from the idea.

He located a rafter and slid down the slope a few feet, then set to work cutting a hole in the thatch with his knife.

The knife slid into emptiness. Glawen enlarged the hole and put down his eye. On the floor below, the light of a dozen lamps illuminated a flyer of medium size. A workbench ran down one side of the room, furnished with various items of material-shaping equipment. A dozen men worked somewhat languidly at one job or another; it seemed to Glawen that not all of them were Yips, but he could not be sure.

In order to see from a different angle, he shifted his position and felt the thatch crackle under his weight; in an instant he would be falling. Desperately he thrust down his knee and tried to draw himself back to the rafter. His knee burst through the thatch; he caught a momentary glimpse of men looking up in wonder; then he had drawn away to safety.

Seething with fury and fear, Glawen clambered to the ridge and crawled back the way he had come. There was no time to waste;

Oomps would be on the roof within minutes, and the thought of what they would do if they caught him made his skin crawl.

He came abreast of the hotel, and there in the window was the night-light. He slid recklessly down the hip, transferred to the rafter and backed down to the hotel wall.

Where was the rope? Glawen looked through the shadows this way and that. The rope could not be seen, nor, looking up, could he see the night-light.

Apparently, in his haste and confusion, he had not come far enough down the hip before transferring to the rafter. The rope must be hanging a few feet farther on, and he could only grope for it in the darkness.

He went along beside the wall ten feet, twenty feet, thirty feet. No rope. He turned to retreat in the other direction, but thought to hear quiet urgent voices from across the roof; it was too late now to go back; he could only hope that Kirdy had also heard the voices and extinguished the night-light.

Just ahead was the corner of the hotel. He went forward and looked down, and saw the small canal which ran behind the hotel. A few yards farther along, a boat lay moored to the hotel dock: apparently a garbage scow.

The garbage collector was not visible and was evidently occupied

inside the hotel. He had covered the garbage piled in the bow with a mat. The canal at this point was about twelve feet wide. Glawen ran along the edge of the roof, until he stood opposite the garbage scow. He levered his legs under him, jumped. Forever he seemed to float through the air, while his trajectory took him across the canal and down upon the mat. He alighted crouching, with no great shock, the boat absorbing most of his momentum. He scrambled across the mat, jumped to the dock, and looked wildly back and forth.

Thump, thump, thump: footsteps.

Glawen pressed against the side of the hotel. Out upon the dock came the garbageman, laden with an enormous sack of garbage. As soon as he turned to relieve himself of the burden he would see Glawen.

Glawen ran soundlessly forward. He seized the garbageman by sack and shoulder, propelled him smartly to the edge of the dock and over into the canal. Then he ran to the kitchen door, looked within. A small pantry was at hand; Glawen stepped forward and ducked into the shadows.

Attracted by the splash and the exclamations the cook on duty and a pair of scullions came out on the dock. Glawen stepped from the pantry, ran through the kitchen, along a short service hall, and out upon the terrace.

He stood composing himself. The Bold Lions sat as before.

Unobtrusively Glawen seated himself between Shugart and Dauncy, neither of whom took any notice, their attention given to Aries as he described the amazing events he had witnessed at his exhibition.

Glawen nudged Shugart.

"Excuse me a moment; I'm for the wash room. When the boy comes by, order me another rum punch."

"So it shall be."

Glawen departed the terrace, crossed the lobby, ran up the stairs and knocked at the door to Kirdy's room.