“They’re coming!” Dessie had been waiting impatiently by the waves’ sweep, and now, heedless of the water curling about her legs, she ran forward, holding out her hands to the merchild who threshed up a fountain of spray in its eagerness to meet her. Hand in hand they pattered to dry land where the merchild shrank shyly against the little girl when it saw the men.
But Dessie was smiling, and said importantly, “Ssssat and Ssssutu are coming now.”
Dard hid his surprise. How could Dessie so confidently mouth those queer names-how did she know? From all his questioning and Kimber’s and Kordov’s and Carlee’s-last night, they had only been able to elicit that the “sea people thought into her head.” They had been forced to accept the concept of telepathy-which could be possible with an undersea race.
So, deciding that Dessie’s interpretation might be needed that day, they had schooled her in her part.
Ssssat and Ssssutu-if those were the proper designations of the mermen who were borne in with the next wave came ashore. They both carried the barbed spears and wore long bone daggers at the belts which were their only articles of clothing. Without a sound they seated themselves on the seaside of the gifts, facing Dard, regarding him and the other Terrans with owlish solemnity.
“Dessie!” Dard called, and she came trotting to him.
“Do I give the presents now, Dard?”
“Yes. Try to make them understand that we want to be friends.”
She picked out two of the bowls, put an apple and a handful of grain into each, and carried them over to set down before the envoys.
The one on Dard’s right held out his hand and Dessie, without hesitation, laid hers, palm down, upon it. For a long moment they made contact. Then both mermen relaxed their tense watchfulness. They put their spears behind them and one ran his hands through the fur on his head and shoulders where it was fast drying into rainbow dotted fluff.