"Robinton would be howling with laughter over this, F'lar, and you know it,' she said, interrupting her chuckles to make that observation.

"Honestly, F'lar, I wouldn't tell anyone what you plan to do. You know how discreet 1 can be,' K'van said, not quite pleading.

F'lar gave him an affectionate slap on the arm. "You'll know.

Just be sure we know when Toric's about to move, will you?"

"I can do that. He sets some of his fire-lizards to watch the Weyr Hall and doesn't even realize that two can play the game of See and Say." Reluctantly K'van rose, realizing he wasn't going to get any more out of the two Benden Weyrleaders.

Ramoth was still asleep on her stone couch and Mnementh had only opened an eye when Heth had landed K'van on the ledge the big bronze dragon guarded. It was unlikely, as well as improper, for K'van to get his dragon to find out by querying the Weyrleaders' dragons later. Considering how annoyed they had been about Toric's territorial aggressiveness, they were in remarkably good spirits now. "Do let me know when, and how, Southern Weyr may a.s.sist you.

"Oh, you'll know,' F'lar said, laying a companionable hand on K'van's shoulder as he escorted the young Weyrleader to the Weyr's entrance. "In fact, you'll be the first,' he added, chuckling at whatever scheme he had in mind.

On the third day, Jayge with Temma and Alemi who had been told of Readis' escapade while he'd been desperately trying to repair the Fair Winds with dolphin help, arrived at the anchorage. Alemi had a dinghy in the water, since there had been no time to replace the float previously used for human and dolphin conferences. Jayge was certain that his son would reappear, if only to make certain that the two calves were healing pn)perly. These last three days had weighed heavily on Jayge. He could have wished that Aramina had not been so didactic about issuing that ultimatum to Readis. Although he understood the panic which had consumed her, and certainly agreed with her that Readis had acted disgracefully, he also understood his son well enough to know that forcing the boy to promise against his conscience would make him rebel. The boy was of the right age to resent a mother's restrictions. Jayge earnestly hoped that the three anxious days would be enough for Readis to have made his point and make an honorable return. By this morning, Aramina had been beside herself with remorse at driving her oldest child away. Jayge doubted that she'd renew her demand that Readis stop seeing the dolphins but he was equally certain she would never cease blaming the creatures for the trouble they'd caused her and hers.

T'gellan had sent an adroit message to Jayge by fire-lizard, asking for confirmation that T'lion had treated injured dolphins at Paradise River. Jayge had succinctly replied that that was true.

Jayge was not surprised to see one dragon in the sky, but he was when a second bronze appeared. One was Gadareth, carrying T'lion, and the other was T'gellan on Monarth with a pa.s.senger. He was introduced as Persellan, Eastern's Healer.

From the moment he dismounted Monarth, the healer did not look at T'lion and addressed whatever questions dealing with the dolphins' welfare to the air in front of him - though they were patently meant for T'lion who answered in humble and subdued tones. Not that Jayge blamed Persellan for his coldness to the young rider. T'lion was lucky to get off with just that when he had borrowed the precious manual without permission and ruined it into the bargain. Well, replacing the damaged portions would be part of Readis' reparation.

"It was made plain, was it not,' Persellan was saying in that purse-mouthed pose he adopted when "not addressing' T'lion, "that they should return in three suns?" He was staring straight ahead at the sea.

"It was. Afo understood."

Persellan shielded his eyes, peering out to where the Fair Winds rode at anchor: some of her rigging was restored and the waterline hole had been repaired with delphinic help. Some dolphins were still to be seen, working with crewmen in the water.

"And they knew to come to the beach?"

"Yes.

Alemi suddenly pointed to the west. "There're dorsal fins just clearing the head now. I'd say they were smack on time.

Wouldn't you, T'lion? Wasn't this about the time when you and Readis got here? I remember seeing you on the sh.o.r.e."

The Master Fishman was sensitive to more than the rhythms of the sea or his beloved schooner and was doing his best to ease the tension in the air. Now he looked in the opposite direction, down the sh.o.r.eline, to the spit of land at the eastern end of the cove, and then back over his shoulder at the jungle.

"I would have thought that Readis would be here already,' T'gellan said, looking at Jayge for some explanation.

"I expect him to be here,' was Jayge's terse reply. He realized then how desperately he counted on Readis' appearance. Three days was more than long enough to prove his point. It was certainly long enough to throw Aramina into a complete panic of anxieties that Readis had injured himself, had been thrown from Delky, had suffered any number of misfortunes. Worry conflicted with a rising and righteous anger that Readis, who had always been treated with respect, would repay their kindness in this fashion!

The dolphins had escorted the two calves into the sh.o.r.e by then and T'lion, who had stripped down to his clout when Alemi spied them approaching, now waded out to meet them, Gadareth following him.

Muttering under his breath, Persellan also discarded his clothing while T'gellan only removed his boots and rolled up his pants. As Jayge, Temma and Alemi were already down to the minimum of apparel, they kicked off sandals and strode in.

"We come three suns,' Afo said, clicking and blowing water.

She b.u.mped into Persellan. "You healer. I hear all about you.

Good man. T'ank you.

"You're welcome, I'm sure,' Persellan said. "Now which ah, for Angie had swum into the talons which Gadareth had splayed just under the surface.

Jayge was briefly surprised at Gadareth's initiative then realized that T'lion had probably mentally asked for his cooperation. Dragons could surprise their riders now and then but there was no expression at all on T'lion's face as he stood to one side so he wouldn't impede Persellan's examination.

Angie had tilted her sleek little body to expose the st.i.tching.

Persellan's hands gently moved across the flesh on either side of the sutured wound.

Now that Jayge saw the wound, he had to admit that Readis had acted properly. No-one at the Hold had been so severely wounded: a few broken bones, quite a few gashes from flying debris, muscles strains which numbweed immediately eased. Of course, Temma had also had to decide which herd beasts would have to be destroyed but that had been done with a minimum of fuss and no prolonged suffering. Jayge gave an involuntary shudder over the terrific wound the calf had endured.

"A little tight here,' Persellan said with asperity, prodding the point. "I think I will release it. There is good healing and this might soon tear the skin." He reached into his sack and pulled out scissors, making the cut and pulling the suture carefully through the skin. He wasn't the only one to hold his breath as the flesh relaxed but did not split. "Hmmm. There is much to be said about salt water healing." Then he turned to Afo who was watching him carefully with one bright black eye. "Does she hurt when 1 touch here?"

"Ask her,' Afo said with a soft squee. "Her name is Angie."

"Angie, can you tell me if my fingers hurt you?" Persellan raised his voice and Angie, as if in response, let water out of her blow hold for she held her head out of the water and craned so she could keep one eye on Persellan.

"Just like a kid not so sure he believes his healer,' Temma murmured to Jayge and Alemi, standing beside her.

Persellan poked, gently enough, testing the length of the wound. "How do I ask this? Angie, are you regular?"

Temma cleared her throat, suppressing a chuckle. Angie squeed in a tone that was so clearly "repeat that, I don't understand', that Temma did give an amused snort.

"Are you eating all right?" Persellan asked.

"I hungry. I eat.

Persellan turned now, in his perplexity even willing to address T'lion. "How do I get across to her that she also has to evacuate what she eats?"

"Her guts work,' Afo said in a tone that bordered on disgust with his periphrasis. "Come back sooner if not."

"Well, that's good to know, Persellan murmured. "I think I'll remove a few more sutures to ease her flesh. But she is healing well." That begrudged compliment seemed to release the tension in the taut young bronze rider. "There now, Angie, you come back in three more days and the other st.i.tches can be removed." He turned to Temma who nodded that she would attend to that.

Angie wriggled free of Gadareth's claws and obediently the smaller Cori replaced her.

"I think all of these can come out,' Persellan said, his voice not half so accusatory now. "It's a jagged enough seam but I perceive that it was also a jagged wound. Who's this?"

"Cori,' T'lion said, almost white with relief.

"Cori. Well, you're a lucky . . . young dolphin,' Persellan said, just catching himself before saying "young girl'.

He had relaxed enough now that he even smiled as he neatly severed and pulled through each suture. He stroked Cori's side before giving her a farewell scratch under her chin. She squeed and clicked as she swam free but turned back to him and, looking up in his face, said quite clearly: "PersIan good man. T'ank you, t'ank you, t'ank you."

Just then, her dam, Mel, pushed herself against T'lion. "TIon, hand,' she said.

"Hand?" T'lion held both up, looking puzzled.

"Hold your hand open under water,' Alemi said, having a notion what was to happen.

"My hand?" But the dragonrider had done so and in an instant, Mel dropped something from her mouth into his hand.

He held up a smooth oval vari-colored sh.e.l.l that glistened in the light. "Oh! It's lovely,' and he forgot his disgraced state long enough to hold the gift up for the others to see.

"That's one of those bivalve sh.e.l.ls,' Temma said, impressed.

"You don't see many unbroken ones."

"Thank you, Mel, I will treasure it,' T'lion said and Mel's bright eye watched him as he carefully tucked it under his clout waistband.

Then Angie presented herself before Persellan and surprised everyone by lifting herself out of the water high enough to touch her nose to Persellan's lips. "I kiss t'ank you. I clever "member old t'ank you." At which point she dove down and away as if embarra.s.sed by her actions.

"My word, my word,' Persellan said through the fingers of his hand that he had raised in surprise to his lips.

"You're more popular with the dolphins than the weyr children, Persellan,' T'gellan said with a laugh."Maybe you ought to let T'lion copy those animal treatment files as well as the ones that got soaked."

"Well, I'm not sure about that, Weyrleader,' Persellan replied but from the expressions fleeting across his face, it could be a.s.sumed that he might be reconsidering. He glanced in T'lion's direction though he didn't quite look at him. "I was far more upset that the boy had borrowed without permission what he knew was invaluable . . . " T'lion looked down at the ripples breaking against his legs, making futile hand motions as Persellan continued: "But, in all honesty, now that I see how well he used the information in the book - despite its damage - I cannot hold the grudge."

Relief and disbelief shining in his eyes, T'lion looked up.

"I am sorry, Persellan, but I didn't know what else to do and there was no-one to ask . " The bronze dragon rider held his hands out to the healer in entreaty.

"Ask the next time,' Persellan said, once more stern. "But I think next time we should both be more knowledgeable about the necessary procedures. You did say there was considerable doc.u.mentation on the treatment of dolphin ailments and injuries?"

"Yes, there is. And D'ram said that I could copy anything you felt you needed "Readis was to do the copying, Jayge said.

T'lion, still flushed with absolution, looked anxiously at the Holder. "I thought he'd be here. It's not like him to be absent.

Or "I was hoping that he would be here, too,' Jayge said quietly.

In the sudden silence, T'gellan cleared his throat and started wading out of the water. Alemi, Persellan and Temma followed him.

"But he went back to the Hold with you,' T'lion said, anxiety clouding his eyes. He looked up and down the strand as if he momentarily expected Readis to burst through the thick vegetation.

"He left the Hold the day after and has not been seen since."

"Oh!" T'lion looked anywhere but at Jayge's face.

"You haven't seen him?" Jayge asked though he knew now that the answer would be negative.

T'lion shook his head. "I've spent every free moment up at Landing. Persellan insisted that since I borrowed the book, I should copy it, not Readis. I thought you'd just made him stay here,' and T'lion gestured toward the Hold, "to help clean up.

Jayge shook his head.

"Oh, that's not like Readis, sir,' T'lion said earnestly. He opened his mouth to ask another question and closed it without speaking. "If you asked T'gellan, maybe he'd let me and Gaddie sweep ride?"

Jayge made eye contact and saw the concern in T'lion's eyes.

He gave a nod. "I will ask. I would appreciate the help. The last I saw of him he was crossing the bridge and heading west on Delky."

"Oh, if he's on Delky, I'm sure Gadareth and I can find him."

Then they waded out of the water to where the others were drying off and dressing. Jayge asked T'gellan if T'lion could be spared to do an errand.

T'gellan gave Jayge a long look before he flicked his fingers to grant permission. "T'lion has an appointment at Landing for his evening's stint of copying but he may do your errand until then." T'lion was so certain that he and Gadareth would find the truant in a short sweep down the coastline that he went off in very good spirits indeed. Readis would be so glad to know that all had ended well: that Persellan had grudgingly approved the suturing and would now learn more about dolphin medicine.

The next step would be to get Persellan to let him a.s.sist and maybe even work as an apprentice - at least in the dolphin healing. There wasn't a Hall for sea creature medicine and Master Farmer Andemon had made it very plain that he didn't consider them part of his Craft's mandate. But if dolphins could get hurt, they had the right to be healed. He and Readis might be the only two on Pern to consider that imperative but two were better than none.

How far could he have got, Gaddie? Even on Delky's back?

T'lion asked his dragon as they skimmed the tree tops. Where tree tops still existed, that is. This part of the coast had taken a ferocious beating. T'lion thought that should make it easier to find Readis.

When an hour's flight along the coastline failed to turn up any sign of his friend, T'lion had Gadareth turn slightly inland and fly a second search pattern. They coursed back and forth, occasionally landing in a likely clearing to see if there'd been a fire or anything that suggested human presence. They startled a very large furry creature at one point and only the size of the bronze dragon deterred the beast from charging at T'lion.

Instead, it went crashing away from them as fast as it could run.

Darkness came and a weary and discouraged T'lion stopped briefly at Paradise River Hold to inform Jayge that he had had no success in his search.

"I'll ask T'gellan to let me try again tomorrow. He can't have gone too far from here in just three days, sir. He might not have realized it was me and Gaddie, and hidden. I'll try again and we'll call for him. And . - T'lion had the good sense to break off there when Aramina appeared on the porch, hoping for good news. "I couldn't go as far as I should have, perhaps,' T'lion added in a self-deprecating tone of voice. Readis' mother had been crying and she looked awful, T'lion thought. "I'll try again tomorrow. I know I'll find him. Don't you worry now. Got to get back to my Weyr before T'gellan flays me." T'lion backed off the porch with that sentence and raced for Gadareth before he could be questioned. He certainly had no answers.

Beljeth, Adrea's queen, forwarded the alert to Ramoth whose immediate reaction - a stentorian bugle - reverberated around the Bowl of Benden Weyr, startling everyone and bringing the riders out of the Lower Caverns where they had been eating.

Lessa, K'van says now is the time, said the queen.

"Toric would, wouldn't he?" Lessa said for they had been just about to sit down to a fine late lunch. "Sailing on the dawn tide, is he? I'll enjoy giving Toric his just desserts."

F'lar wistfully eyed the meat pie that was steaming on the table, and the a.s.sortment of early vegetables that would accompany it, the hot fresh bread and the sweet berries that would have made an excellent meal. With long strides, he collected their riding gear and deposited Lessa's in her arms.

"I knew we should have eaten when the others did,' he muttered, breaking off some of the bread and stuffing a hunk in his mouth. Then he grabbed a handful of the berries and crammed them in his mouth, the juices dribbling down his chin as he went to get Mnementh's harness down from its peg.

Lessa followed his example, and stuck the rest of the bread into a half-closed jacket before she took down Ramoth's harness.

The queen was swinging from side to side, her head low, waiting for her rider to slip the harness on.

Does every rider know where he or she is to go? Lessa asked Ramoth as the golden queen shivered the harness down her neck into place. Lessa buckled the straps, then pulled on her gloves.

Yes, and Ramoth dragged out the sibilant vocally as well as telepathically. Her eyes were bright, shot with orange eagerness.

This will be fun. Not like fighnng Thread.

"Just don't get to like it too much, my fine queen, Lessa said.

She closed her jacket, wrapped the single braid in which she wore her hair around her head and jammed on her riding cap, fastening the chin strap. Then she jumped to Ramoth's forearm, deftly snagged the one dangling strap and pulled herself into place between the last two neck ridges. "I devoutly trust we won't have to do this exercise more than once!" Then she grinned. "Well, this is the second time. Let's go, dear heart."

Ramoth walked the last few lengths to the ledge of her Weyr.

Mnementh was above her to the right, F'lar already mounted.

The half dozen bronze dragons and the other Benden queens who were to take part in this "lesson' were making their way to the rim of the Bowl. Mnementh asked Lessa if everyone involved had been alerted and Ramoth said that Beljeth had conveyed the message to every other Weyr. Lessa grinned.