went back into the huts . This was repeated several times . In the meantime , Kellogg and Mallin seemed to be having some sort of exchange of recriminations in front . Ruth Ortheris came out , carrying a briefcase , and sat down on the edge of a table under the awning.
Neither of them had been watching the Fuzzies , until they saw one of them start down the path toward the footbridge , a glint of silver at the throat identifying Goldilocks .
"Look at that fool kid ; you stay put , Gerd, and I'll bring her back ."
He started down the path ; by the time he had reached the bridge, Goldilocks was across and had vanished behind one of the airjeeps parked in front of the Kellogg camp . When he was across and within twenty feet of the vehicle , he heard a sound he had never heard before - a shrill , thin shriek , like a file on saw teeth . At the same time , Ruth's voice screamed :
"Don't ! Leonard, stop that !"
As he ran around the jeep, the shrieking broke off sud- denly . Goldilocks was on the ground , her fur reddened . Kel- logg stood over her , one foot raised . He was wearing white shoes , and they were both spotted with blood . He stamped the foot down on the little bleeding body , and then Jack was within reach of him, and something crunched under the fist he drove into Kellogg's face . Kellogg staggered and tried to raise his hands ; he made a strangled noise , and for an instant the idiotic thought crossed Jack's mind that he was trying to say , " Now, please don't misunderstand me ." He caught Kellogg's shirt front in his left hand , and punched him again in the face , and again , and again . He didn't know how many times he punched Kellogg before he heard Ruth Ortheris ' voice :
"Jack ! Watch out ! Behind you !"
He let go of Kellogg's shirt and jumped aside , turning and reaching for his gun . Kurt Borch, twenty feet away , had a pistol drawn and pointed at him .
His first shot went off as soon as the pistol was clear of the holster . He fired the second while it was still recoiling ; there was a spot of red on Borch's shirt that gave him an aiming point for the third . Borch dropped the pistol he hadn't been able to fire , and started folding at the knees and then at the waist. He went down in a heap on his face.
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