The Golden Enemy Read Free Page A

the Barrens?”
    When he explained, she said, “Now you’re just being silly. If you want to walk part of the way to that awful place, then walk—but at least tow a small sled to carry things. After all, as long as a sled floats, it’s weightless, no matter what you pile on it. Suppose you found something there you wanted to bring home?”
    Andru snorted. “He won’t find anything worth keeping. The inhabitants of that place were demented. Absolutely demented.”
    L’Mara said silently, “ I think Father’s wrong, at least partly, and that you could really find something wonderful if you look in the right spot. Please, bring me a present. ”
    Her request decided him. He compromised finally on one of the smallest sleds; it had just enough power in its antigravity unit to lift Doubtful and himself and carry all their equipment. The next morning, before he left, L’Mara gave him his new cap. Though she was still a child, she was the best designer and weaver in their community, and the cap she had made was a marvel of patterning. Around its wide green band was an intricate design of leaping fish. She managed to present it to him without a flicker of a smile.
    With the safety belt fastened around his waist, Boy Jaim lay flat on the air sled and peered over the bow at the forest below. The river was well behind them now and they were moving slowly southward, just above the treetops. The sled, he knew, was overloaded with the things he had found, and it was a heavy drain on the solar batteries to keep so much weight aloft. If the sunlight lasted, the batteries should recharge. It was disturbing, though, to see the mounting clouds drifting toward them from the east. The sled was too small to be caught in stormy weather.
    â€œDo you whiff anything yet?” he asked Doubtful.
    â€œIt’s hard to whiff anything up here. But this seems to be the right direction.”
    â€œMaybe we’d better get down near the ground, just to make sure.”
    â€œPlease,” the dog begged. “It wouldn’t be safe.”
    â€œIt would be safe enough for you. That beast hasn’t hurt anything.”
    â€œIt hasn’t hurt anything wild—but I’m not wild. My kind has lived with your kind too long. If it hates man, it would hate me.”
    In spite of the day’s warmth Boy Jaim shivered. He had never felt like this before. Why would the thing hate man?
    â€œIf I could just get a look at it …” he muttered.
    â€œDo we have to?” Doubtful asked unhappily. “We already know what it looks like.”
    â€œAll we know is that it left a footprint like a bear, only the print was far too big. If it’s a bear, it would stand as high as three men. And it isn’t black like a bear, because the cub said it was shining.”
    â€œIsn’t that enough?” grumbled the dog. “It whiffs like a bear, so that’s what it is—a shining monster of a bear, which makes it a phantom. I think we ought to forget the thing and go home.”
    â€œBut we can’t do that. I’ve got to find it, and—and try to talk to it.”
    â€œ Talk to it? Oh, no!”
    â€œBut I’ve got to. Don’t you understand? Everything in the forest has been friendly until now. Why, it’s been ages since humans and other creatures—”
    He was interrupted by a sudden questioning thought from L’Mara, calling from home. “ Boy Jaim, where are you? Is anything wrong? ”
    For safety’s sake he always kept in touch with her when he was away, but at the moment all thought of her had been driven from his mind. “ I’m all right, ” he told her. “ We’re flying south of the river now, so we’ll be back soon — if it doesn’t turn too stormy. ”
    â€œ But I know something’s wrong. What is it? ”
    â€œ It’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll explain later.