The two planes swept apart. The ornithopter descended toward the landing stage of Rahn. The freight plane swept toward the ship that carried Tommy. Again the snaky rope coiled down. And Tommy swung up the fifteen feet that alone separated the two soaring planes, and looked into the hard, amused eyes of Jacaro where he sat between two other emissaries of Rahn. One of them was half naked and savage, with the light of madness in his eyes. A Ragged Man. The other was lean and desperate, despite the colored tunic of a civilized man that he wore.
“Hello,” said Jacaro blandly. “We come up to talk things over.”
Tommy gave him the briefest of nods. He looked at Denham—who was deathly white and grim—and the bearded Councilor.
“I’ been givin’ ’em the dope,” said Jacaro easily. “We got the whip han
