Prokle patted his own ray-pistol at his side.
"No," Garth cautioned. "We don't want to use those and I don't think we'll have to."
Slowly, circuitously and with much effort they gained the opposite rim. It took them nearly ten minutes but the negotiation was masterful and noiseless. Finally, from behind a protecting rock formation they peered again into the depths, their eyes becoming slowly accustomed to that darker darkness. Then Garth silently pointed.
"What is it?" Prokle whispered. "I don't see a thing."
"Keep looking. A little to the right."
Then Prokle saw it. The missing life-boat, lying quite still there below, like a tiny silver bug with its nose smashed. And that disseminated whatever slight doubt they may have had.
"What now?" Prokle whispered.
"We've got to go down!" Garth said hoarsely. "Nothing else. This side doesn't seem so steep; if we get to a point where we can see him, we'll talk to him."
"Can't do that, unless he's got a phone, too!"
"We'll see about that when we have to. Keep looking down there a while, let your eyes get used to it."