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He gave me so much grief about Bubbles I pretended to like it； just to blunt the point。〃
〃You could use Charlotte。 Chara。。。 that's not bad。 Or Brun。〃
〃Well。〃 Bubbles shrugged。 〃That decision won't matter if we don't survive； and we won't survive without water； so I think the next step is to check it out。〃
〃With your portable chemistry kit； of course；〃 said Raffa。
〃With Kell's portable chemistry kit；〃 Bubbles said sweetly。 〃The one on the shelf that you didn't recognize。〃 But the little bottles and tubes were all empty； their contents no more than a few dried grains of unrecognizable grit。
〃With our brains；〃 Bubbles said； when she discovered that。 〃We can think it out。 It's safe for the cave fish； they're alive。〃
〃Alive now。〃
〃Yes。 And that's all we can go on。 They're swimming normally； not gasping or floating。 And that means …〃
〃We still don't know。 Look … whatever it was had to be pretty quick … not more than a day … because Petris told us they'd never bothered the water。
That flyover could've dropped the poison； or set someone down to do it afoot。
So if one of us drinks here。。。 and nothing happens in a day。。。 then this water is safe。〃
〃I'll drink。 It's my island。〃 Bubbles scooped up a handful of water and sucked it quickly。 It tasted of nothing but water。 〃I won't drink much；〃 she went on； 〃just in case。 Maybe if it's only a little； it'll put me to sleep or something。〃
〃Or only make you throw up once。 You are a gutsy wench； and you shouldn't be stuck with Bubbles one day longer。 Take your pick： Brun or Chara。〃
Bubbles sat back on her heels。 〃I'm used to the B。。。。 Let's try Brun。 If I hate it tomorrow； no one ever needs to know。〃 If she died of poison no one ever would know。。。。 She shoved that thought away。
〃Good for you； Brun。 Now。。。 how can we do the hunters the most harm？〃
Ronnie could not tell whether the pounding in his head was from the concussion or excitement。 The too…regular uneven footsteps came nearer； and he could just hear George trying to breathe quietly。 Then the footsteps turned back toward the little creek； he heard a rock turn； and splash noisily； and a muffled curse。 One of the red…and…yellow amphibians gave a tiny bark； and several more answered。 George's breath came hot and wet against his ear。
〃I told you；〃 George murmured。 〃We should've put our trap on the creek itself。〃
He wanted to say 〃Shut up〃 but the person at the creek might hear。 Instead； he touched George's wrist； a sharp tap。 He could hear the walker； moving upstream； occasionally tipping a rock； and then the squelch of wet boots on mud。
〃Let's follow；〃 George said； tickling his ear again。 〃Maybe we can take him。〃
Maybe we can get killed very easily； Ronnie thought。 If the hunter had night goggles； if he had a fully equipped night…hunting rifle； they would be easy prey。 〃Wait；〃 he breathed； as quietly as he could。 〃The spring's not that far away。。。。 He may e back and spring the trap。〃
Another splash； some ways upstream； and the sound of something large moving through brittle brush。 〃He ought to be more careful；〃 George said。
〃We too；〃 Ronnie said pointedly。 George subsided； though his sigh was louder than Ronnie approved。 After an interminable period； they heard sounds returning。 The same hunter？ Another whose planned route had crossed his？ One of Petris's men？ Ronnie didn't know。 His neck prickled； he felt that someone was looking at him； that he was outlined by a spotlight。 He blinked； hard。。。。
No spotlight； nothing but darkness。 Whoever it was ing downslope stayed in the water； for the most part。。。。 They could hear the rocks grinding and turning under his boots； and occasional splashes。 He moved faster； as most people do going downhill； and as if he could see his way。
He passed their position； still moving downstream； and did not turn aside along his former path。 Apparently he was going to follow the stream all the way down。
〃This is stupid；〃 George said in Ronnie's ear； all hissing s's。 〃If we stay here。。。〃
Ronnie's control broke； he grabbed George's mouth and dug his fingernails into his lips。 〃The idea is to stay alive；〃 he muttered。 〃Be quiet。〃 He let go as quickly as he'd grabbed； and they spent the remaining hours of darkness in icy silence； both furious。 An occasional shot rang out at a distance； they heard no cries； nor anything that let them know what was happening。
In the first faint light of dawn； when Ronnie realized he could see his hand in front of his face again； the peaceful gurgle of the creek off to their left seemed to mock their fears。 Not even the amphibians were making their usual racket。。。 no sound but the faint sigh of a breeze in the leaves far overhead； and the water in the creek； and the sound of waves below； borne on the wind。
He had heard no shots for a long time。 His head ached dully； an ache he was almost used to now。 His eyes burned。 He felt stiff； dirty； sore。。。 but alive。
He looked at George； who had fallen asleep leaning against a tree。 Perhaps he should let George sleep a little longer？ But as he thought it； George produced a faint noise that ripened into a snore； and woke up； almost falling。
〃We survived；〃 Ronnie said； trying for cheerfulness。 The sound of his own voice woke painful echoes in his head。
〃Survived！〃 George rubbed his eyes； looking disgusted but still dapper。 When he brushed at a smudge on his sleeve； it actually vanished。 〃We should have gone after that fellow。。。。 We haven't done anything useful yet。〃 He gave their trap an angry glance。 Even in that early light； the leaves they had cut to conceal it drooped and no longer matched the greenery around them。 Ronnie hadn't realized that they'd wilt in only twelve hours or so。 〃It was a stupid idea； just the sort of thing you might expect from someone like Petris。〃
〃All he said was stay up in this area； and perhaps we could trap someone。 You're the one who had the idea for the trap itself。〃
George glared； but silently。 Ronnie wondered if they should take the now obvious trap apart； or leave it。 Moment by moment the light increased； and the trap's outline became clearer。 It would take； he thought； a very stupid hunter to step into it now。
George stretched。 〃We'll have to clear that mess up；〃 he said。 〃It certainly won't fool anyone。〃
〃I suppose not。〃 Ronnie wanted to lie down and sleep； preferably for two days straight； and wake up in a clean； fortable bed。 He did not look forward to undoing the trap； particularly when he couldn't remember exactly how the lines ran on this side。 〃Although。。。 suppose we left it； and they saw it and sniggered； and then we had another trap they didn't see？〃
〃Like what？〃 George asked。 It was a reasonable question for which Ronnie had no answer。 〃Dig a pit trap with our fingernails and disguise it with more wilting greenery？〃 Ronnie resented the inherited knack for clever phrasing。
〃Perhaps a snare sort of thing … you know； where a rock drops on them。〃
Somewhere； in some class； Ronnie remembered seeing something。。。 a leaning stick or limb； with something heavy balanced above； and when someone went through … 〃A rock。。。 and where are we supposed to find more rope and a rock？' Evidently George didn't have the same i