CASTLES ON AIR

The four sat around the burning sticks, as they had for so many nights before his fight with

Starrett. And, to Graydon's astonishment, they ignored the weird tragedy of the plain;

avoided it, swiftly changed the subject when twice, to test them, he brought it up. Their talk

was all of the treasure so close to them, and of what could be done with it when back in their

own world. Piece by piece they went over the golden hoard in the white llama's packs;

discussed Suarra's jewels and their worth. It was as though they were bent upon infecting him

with their own avarice.

"Hell! Why, with only her emeralds none of us'd have to worry!" Starrett repeated, with

variations, over and over.

Graydon listened with increasing disquiet. There was something behind this studied

avoidance of the destruction of the scarlet thing by the dinosaurs, this constant reference to

the rich loot at hand, the reiterated emphasis upon what ease and luxuries it would bring them

all.

Suddenly he realized that they were afraid, that terror of the unknown struggled with treasure

lust. And that therefore they were doubly dangerous. Something was hidden in the minds of

the three to whose uncovering all this talk was only the preamble.

At last Soames looked at his watch.

"Nearly eight," he said, abruptly. "Dawn breaks about five. Time to talk turkey. Graydon,

come up close."

The four drew into a huddle in the shelter of the knoll. From where they crouched, Suarra's

tent was hidden—as they were hidden to any watchers in that little silken pavilion looking

now like a great silver moth at rest under the moonlight.

"Graydon," began the New Englander, "we've made up our minds on this thing. We're goin'

to do it a little different. We're glad and willin' to let bygones be bygones. Here we are, four

white men among a bunch of God knows what. White men ought to stick together. Ain't that

so?"

Graydon nodded, waiting.

"All right, then," said Soames. "Now here's the situation. I don't deny that what we seen today gave us all a hell of a jolt. We ain't equipped to go up against anything like that pack of

hissin' devils. But, an' here's the point, we can beat it out an' come back, equipped. You get

me?"

Again Graydon nodded, alert to meet what he sensed was coming.

"There's enough stuff on that llama and the girl to make all comfortable," went on Soames.

"But also it's enough to finance the greatest little expedition that ever hit the trail for treasure.

An' that's just what we plan doin', Graydon. Get the hampers an' all that's in 'em. Get the

stuff on the girl. Beat it, an' come back. We'll get together a little crowd of hard-boiled guys.

The four of us'll take half we find an' the others'll divide the other half. We'll pack along a

couple of planes, an' damn soon find out where the girl comes from. I bet those hissin' devils

wouldn't stand up long under machine guns an' some bombs dropped from the flyin' crates.

An' when the smoke clears away we'll lift the loot an' go back an' sit on the top of the world.

What you say to that?"

Graydon fenced for time.

"How will you get the stuff now?" he asked. "And if you get it, how will you get away with

it?