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"Of course, in the first survey. And copters still fly over it, and nothing out of the way is ever seen. But only in daylight. No one has ever flown or driven or walked on the Ghost Plateau during the night and lived to tell about it. Nor has a single body ever been found."

The Governor's voice was heavy with grief; there was no doubt that he meant what he said.

"Has anything ever been done about this?" Bron asked.

"Yes. We've learned to stay away. This is not Earth, Mr. Wurber, no matter in how many ways it resembles it. It is an alien planet with alien life on it, and this human settlement is just a pinprick in the planet's hide. Who knows what. . creatures are out there in the night? We are settlers, not adventurers. We have learned to avoid the plateau, at least at night, and we have never had that kind of trouble anywhere else."

"Then why have you called on the Patrol?"

"Because we made a mistake. The old-timers don't talk much these days about the plateau, and a lot of the newcomers believe that the stories are just. . stories. Some of us had even begun to doubt our own memories. In any case, a prospecting team wanted to look for some new mine sites, and the only untouched area near the city is on the plateau. In spite of our misgivings the team went out, led by an engineer name of Huw Davies."

"Any relation to your assistant?"

"Her brother."

"That explains her agitation. What happened?"

Hay din's eyes were unfocused as he gazed at a fearful memory. "It was horrible," he said. "We took all precautions, of course — followed them by copter during the day and marked their camp. The copters were rigged with lights, and we stood by all night. They had three radios and all of them were in use, so there could be no communication breakdown. We waited all night and there was no trouble. Then, just before dawn — without any alarm or warning — the radios cut out. We got there within minutes, but it was too late.

"What we found is almost too awful to describe. Everything — their equipment, tents, supplies — was destroyed, crushed and destroyed. There was blood everywhere, spattering the broken trees and the ground — but the men were gone, vanished. There were no tracks of animals or men or machines in the area — nothing. The blood was tested; it was human blood. And the fragments of flesh were. . human flesh."

"There must have been something," Bron insisted. "Some identifying marks, some clues, perhaps the odor of explosives — or something on your radar, since this plateau is so close."

"We are not stupid men. We have technicians and scientists. There were no clues, no smells, nothing on radar. I repeat, nothing."

"And this is when you decided to call the Patrol."

"Yes. This thing is too big for us to handle."

"You were absolutely correct, Governor. I'll take it from here. In fact, I already have a very good idea what happened."

Haydin was jolted to his feet. "You can't! What is it?"

"I'm afraid it is a little too early to say. I'm going up to the plateau in the morning to look at this place where the massacre happened. Can you give me the map coordinates? And please don't mention my visit to anyone."

"Little chance of that," Haydin said, looking at the little pig. It stood and stretched, then sniffed loudly at the bowl of fruit on the table.

"Jasmine would like a piece," Bron said. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Go ahead, help yourself.” the Governor said resignedly, and loud chomping rilled the room as he wrote down the coordinates and directions.

They had to hurry to be clear of the town before dawn. By the time they reached their camp the sky was gray in the east and the animals were up and stirring.

"I think we'll stay here at least another day.” Bron said as he cracked open a case of vitamin rations. Queeny, the eight-hundred-pound Poland* China sow, grunted happily at this announcement and rooted up a wad of leaves and tossed them into the air.

"Good foraging, I don't doubt it, particularly after all that time in the ship. I'm going to take a little trip, Queeny, and I'll be back by dark. You keep an eye on things until then." He raised his voice. "Curly! Moe!"

A crashing in the forest echoed his words, and a moment later two long grayish-black forms tore out of the underbrush — a ton of bone and muscle on the hoof. A three-inch branch was in Curly's way, and he neither swerved nor slowed. There was a sharp crack and he skidded up to Bron with the broken branch draped across his back. Bron threw the branch aside and looked at his shock troops.