For
the ten thousandth time, Dard wished, as he strained his eyes, that
somebody had thought to secure a pair of binoculars when they had
abandoned the rocket-boat. He studied the grazing herd for a long time.
The seedling pines extended almost to the game-herd and would offer
concealment for the approach, but the animals were grazing into the
wind, and their scent was much keener than their vision. This would
prelude one of their favorite hunting techniques, that of lurking in the
high grass ahead of the quarry. It had rained heavily in the past few
days, and the undermat of dead grass was soaked, making a fire-hunt
impossible. Kalvar Dard knew that he could stalk to within easy
carbine-shot, but he was unwilling to use cartridges on game; and in
view of the proximity of Hairy People, he did not want to divide his
band for a drive hunt.
"What's the scheme?" Analea asked him, realizing the problem as well as
he did. "Do we try to take them from behind?"
"We'll take them from an angle," he decided. "We'll start from here and
work in, closing on them at the rear of the herd. Unless the wind shifts
on us, we ought to get within spear-cast. You and I will use the spears;
Varnis can come along and cover for us with a carbine.
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