Certainly the number of small creatures around the houses was greater than in the jungle. Many more things of small size could be seen at a glance than they’d encountered in all their journeying.
“I’m stumped!” said Lon helplessly. “But they’re civilized! Only a civilized race could make a door like that and a metal object that large! But—”
Other little people appeared, walking lightly toward them. They looked at the Earth-folk with enormous interest, but no surprise whatever. Which was disturbing, because the hunting-party members had been starkly astonished—or had they? They were in ambush. Maybe they were astonished only at being overcome. In any case, word had come on ahead about them. But how?
The newcomers grinned at the six who had found the Earthlings. Trilling speech surrounded
