You do have some, don’t you?”

Steve nodded and obediently followed them out of the chamber. He marveled that they knew their way through the tunnels but he was not surprised. One’s mind could take in only so much and his had had its fill. Later he’d find out all he needed to know. From what country had they come? What manner of people were they to have built an airship that could not be seen while anchored and were so far advanced in the power of telepathy that they knew about Pitch just from his having thought of him?

He continued walking close behind Flick, who led the way, the light bobbing before him. He felt no fear or suspicion of them, only the confidence and trust that had come to him in the chamber. This, too, had been their doing. Otherwise wouldn’t he have been afraid for himself and the horses?

When they emerged from the tunnels and stood beside the waterfall, Blue Valley was in deep shadow. The air was very cool and pleasant, much as it had been that morning.

Jay glanced at him and said, “Lovely, isn’t it? And you’d like it to remain this way?”

Steve nodded.

Jay winked and said, “Sometimes weather can be a state of mind, Steve … like a lot of other things.”

Flick gave Jay a stern look of reprimand as they started down the trail.

It took only a few minutes to get the canister of tea Pitch had stored away and to have the water boiling. Jay balanced his cup of tea on the fine crease of his blue pants. “Let’s talk about Flame, Steve,” he said.

“Not now,” Flick interrupted. “Make it another time. Drink your tea and let’s go.”

“You’ll be coming back then?” Steve asked.

“Of course, Steve,” and Jay chuckled. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” He looked at the table behind Steve. “May I have one of those biscuits?” he asked.

Steve passed the can to him. Jay had taken only a bite when Flick rose from his chair, his face red with anger.

“You’re being most difficult,” he told Jay. “You know you’ll get plenty to eat when we get back. I’ve taken enough of your lack of consideration.” He pulled Jay from his chair and forcefully led him down the steep trail.

Steve watched them go. After they had reached the valley floor they walked across to the field of wild cane. Flame was grazing in the distance, and Steve wondered if he should warn his departing visitors that the red stallion would not tolerate strangers in his kingdom. Almost at once he decided it was not necessary to warn them … yet he wondered why he felt so certain of this.

It was becoming quite dark, so he could barely see the two men. They were directly across the valley from Flame, and yet the stallion never stopped his grazing. Like everything else that had happened, Flame’s lack of vigilance was unbelievable. Even though Flame might not be able to see the two strangers in the darkness, he should have been able to sense their presence.

Steve felt the cool night air on his face. Moments passed, and then the two men were gone. Steve stayed where he was, his gaze shifting to the sky above the dome of Azul Island, watching for a thin streak of silver. He waited a long while without seeing anything.

Finally he looked down at the plate that held Jay’s half-eaten biscuit. If it were not for this bit of evidence, he would have found it hard to believe the two men had actually been there.

Suddenly he heard a noisy outburst from the birds. They were above him as they had been early that morning, perched on the rock beside the waterfall. The large blue bird was closer, and as usual was more bold and boisterous.