Cliff Jackson said cheerlessly, "Maybe he's just looking for us. He won't necessarily take a crack at us."
Bey grunted. "Elmer?"
"Nothing on the radio," Elmer said. "If he was just scouting us out, he'd report to his base. But if his orders are to clobber us, then he wouldn't put it on the air."
The plane was turning in the sky, coming back.
Cliff argued, "Well, we can't fire unless we know if he's just hunting us out, or trying to do us in."
Elmer said patiently, "For just finding us, that first pass would be all he needed. He could radio back that he'd found us. But if he comes in again, he's looking for trouble."
"Here he comes!" Bey yelled. "Kenny-Cliff ... the rifle!"
Isobel suddenly dashed out into the sands a dozen yards or so from the vehicles and began running around and around in a circle as though demented.
Bey stared at her. "Get back here," he roared. "Under one of the trucks!"
She ignored him.