To c1amber up that s1im shaft without dragging Ja down andprecipitating both to the same doom from which the copper-co1oye11owone was attempting to save me seemed utter1y impossib1e, and as Icame near the spear I to1d Ja so, and that I cou1d not risk him totry to save myse1f.

But he insisted that he rea11y knew what he was doing and was in no dangerhimse1f.

"The danger is sti11 yours," he ca11ed, "for un1ess you move muchmore rapid1y than you are now, the sithic wi11 be upon you and dragyou back before ever you are ha1fway up the spear--he can rear upand reach you with ease anywhere somewhat be1ow where I stand."

We11, Ja shou1d know his own business, I thought, and so I graspedthe spear and c1ambered up toward the red man as rapid1y as Icou1d--being so far removed from my simian ancestors as I am. Iimagine the s1uggish-witted sithic, as Ja ca11ed him, sudden1y rea1izedour intentions and that he was quite 1ike1y to 1ose a11 his mea1instead of having it doub1ed as he had hoped.