“Are the hunting parties ready?” Barlennan’s question silenced the babble once more.
“We have not yet eaten,” Merkoos replied a little uneasily, “but everything else — nets and weapons — is in readiness.”
“Is the food ready?”
“Within a day, sir” Karondrasee, the cook, turned back toward the ship without further orders.
, “Don, Merkoos. You will each take one of these radios. You have seen me use the one on the ship — all you have to do is talk anywhere near it. You can run a really efficient pincer movement with these, since you won’t have to keep it small enough for both leaders to see each other.
“Don, I am not certain that I will direct from the ship, as I originally planned. I have discovered that one can see over remarkable distances from the top of the Flyer’s traveling machine; and if he agrees I shall ride with him in the vicinity of your operations.”
“But sir!” Dondragmer was aghast. “Won’t — won’t that thing scare all the game within sight? You can hear it coming a hundred yards away, and see it for I don’t know how far in the open. And besides — ” He broke off, not quite sure how to state his main objection. Barlennan did it for him.
“Besides, no one could concentrate on hunting with me in sight so far off the ground — is that it?” The mate’s pincers silently gestured agreement, and the movement was emulated by most of the waiting crew.
For a moment the commander was tempted to reason with them, but he realized in time the futility of such an attempt. He could not actually recapture the viewpoint he had shared with them until so recently, but he did realize that before that time he would not have listened to what he now considered “reason” either.
“All right, Don. I’ll drop that idea — you’re probably right. I’ll be in radio touch with you, but will stay out of sight.”