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The tall Indian； a hook…nosed man about seven one in height； shoot Rockson's hand。 〃How；〃 he articulated； 〃are you？〃
〃Fine；〃 Rockson answered。 〃I'm glad to see you … I presume you're Chief Smokestone？〃
〃Yes。〃
The man was deep tan； bare…armed； ten or twelve red feathers in a headband。 He wore a rawhide tasseled jacket； and a like pair of pants。 All the material was covered with beadwork of blue and red； intricate scenes of fantastic birds and animals。 He had a metal breastplate that seemed to be from a twentieth…century car。 A hubcap that was shined to perfection。 Its barely visible insignia said OLDSMOBILE。 The man's face was rugged； with deep…set dark eyes and high cheekbones。 His muscled arms looked as full of sinewy strength as Rockson's。
〃Where did you put your city； Smokestone？ Aren't we near it？〃
Smokestone laughed heartily。 〃You are less than a hundred meters from it。 e； you will see。 But first may I introduce my son and nephew。 Steelring and Wild Horse。〃
The two braves approached and shook Rockson's hand。 They too had what appeared to be polished up ancient car hubcaps tied together as breast and shoulder plates。 They had no feathers。 Both looked around twenty； and strong。 The two braves wore their hair in two pigtails。 They had pants made of some sort of multicolored cloth that shimmered like the rainbow； and were bare chested。 Wild Horse wore an armband that had a little naked plastic doll of the dime…store variety tied to it。
〃You have some very interesting…looking sled dogs there；〃 Steelring said； pointing to the team that McCaughlin had driven to the spot。
〃They're not sled dogs； they're sled wolf…dogs。 And keep away from them； they bite。〃 McCaughlin said possessively。
〃Well； what is it … do you want to leave them tied here？ It would be hard to get the dogs down the cliff ladders。〃
〃Cliff ladders？〃
〃Yes。 You see； it's the only way to get down to our city。 Maybe a look would be worth a thousand words。 You can tie the dogs to that cactus over there。〃
〃Give the dogs a rest；〃 McCaughlin said。 〃They can use it。〃 Rockson agreed。 〃Tie them up here； we'll e back for them … hopefully with some food … later。〃
〃Glad to meet you all；〃 Rockson muttered。 〃But we have to get some transportation from your tribe and move quickly； Smokestone。 Please lead on to your … invisible … city。〃
〃This I've gotta see；〃 said McCaughlin； packing up the pot and cups and joining Rockson and the others in their walk across the barren plain with the chief and his two young relatives。
As they walked； mystified as to where they were headed； Rockson was asked by Smokestone if he knew Trickster Deity； leader of the Crazy Alligator tribe。
〃Unfortunately I do； I spent some time with him and his tribe once。 I give the experience mixed reviews。〃
〃I understand。 He's my distant cousin； but he's sort of the black sheep of the family。 Be careful now； walk slower all of you。 Or you will fall into our beloved city。〃
Rockson stopped when the chief put up his hand； and so did the others。 〃Golly；〃 McCaughlin said； 〃Will you have a look at that？〃
Their feet were at the edge of a thousand…foot precipice。 They were staring down into a circular hole in the ground about a hundred yards across。 There were buildings； similar to Pueblo Indian cliff houses； carved into the opposite wall of the fantastic hole。 And people were moving about the dwellings。 Lots of people。
〃We were afraid you would ride your odd…looking sleds right down into the abyss； so we three came up to greet you。 Our remote…sensing devices … atop that mesa； the tall thin one about twelve miles backtracked some electronic device you have with you。〃
Rockson turned to the Russian； fumed； 〃That's it； Scheransky … You're leaving that damned Schecter weather device here with the Yumaks。〃
Rona changed the subject： 〃Chief； did your people always live out here？〃
〃My ancestors were urban Indians。 Los Angeles。 When our vision…seekers saw the nuke war ing； they left the city； en masse； trekked to a cavern； a big one； exposed for the first time in thousands of years by the nuke quakes。 Some of us stayed there。 Others thought living in a big cave was spooky so we went south。 And here we are。 We found this swell place。 It used to belong to the ancient Anasazi Indians。 They built most of the place； we just improved it。〃
Smokestone was the first to start descending； using barely visible footholds in the rock as a ladder。
〃Watch yourself now； friends；〃 he cautioned； 〃be sure to place your feet in the same places I do。 There's food and drink aplenty awaiting you … and some excellent motorcycles for continuing your mission。〃
Rock was second to begin descending。 The footholds and hand niches were adequate； but he couldn't talk； he had to concentrate so carefully to make it。 He wondered how the heck they got motorcycles up and down the canyon。 Then he saw a rope device … some sort of elevator … far across the circular structure； near the houses。 A platform of bent and shaped wood planks … more like a big basket without sides。 Could that four…by…six basket on thin ropes hold a Harley？ Once they all descended； they were invited into a sandstone dwelling； and Indian maidens brought water and food。 〃This is wonderful；〃 exclaimed Danik。 〃But we must not tarry。〃
Later； while the others were received by a group of high tribal officials； the chief took Rockson on a brief tour。 From the erudite quality of the conversation； it soon became evident that Smokestone was a remarkable and educated man。
His house was highest on the cliff； accessed； Rock was happy to discover； by a series of sturdy ladders。 They went up。
The home of the chief was most remarkable。 Like the other dwellings it was a Pueblo…style； and bare of adornment； or even of glass in the windows。 There was a fireplace； with a few embers being cared for by a pretty woman。 There were bookcases … hundreds of shelves。 All the classics … in five languages one could read Dickens； Cooper； Disney； Heinlein； and Proust … plus thousands of technical books dating from before World War Three。 Rockson also found a newly bound twelve…volume History of the Southwestern Indians in the 20th and 21st Centuries by Chief Smokestone。 〃I am not finished with it；〃 Smokestone said； as Rockson removed one volume from the shelf and started thumbing through it。
〃Quite impressive；〃 the Doomsday Warrior said。
〃I am adding a volume；〃 said Smokestone； 〃so that people in the future will know of us； and of our ways。 Perhaps it will help them。 The air is very dry hereabouts； and the books keep well。 But just in case I am having them all transferred to hard disk in our puter room。〃
〃It seems；〃 said Rockson； 〃that you have updated these ancient dwellings。〃
〃We do what we can；〃 Smokestone replied modestly。 He showed the Doomsday Warrior more of the plex … cafeteria…style munal eating areas； gymnasiums with stone barbells； and of course the puter room … deep in the interior of the living rock。 Must have been hard carting it all down here。
After seeing all their progress Rockson was more than happy to retire to the Indian chiefs study and discuss their relative philosophies while the rest of the team looked around；