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Chief Samas turned back again. “By the way,” he said, “there’s one more thing. I know that men don’t always agree on everything. If there is any dispute between you and Kevenoe, submit the question to my wife for arbitration.” He hesitated. “However, I trust that there will not be many such disputes. A woman shouldn’t be bothered with such things any more than is absolutely necessary. It upsets them. Understand?”

Anketam nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Very well. Good-by, Anketam. I hope to see you again before the next harvest.” And with that, he turned and walked through the gate, toward the woman who was standing anxiously on the porch of his home.

* * * * *

Anketam turned away and started towards his own village. Most of the others had already begun the trek back. But Jacovik, Blejjo, and Basom were waiting for him. They fell into step beside him.

After a while, Jacovik broke the silence. “Well, Ank, it looks like you’ve got a big job on your hands.”

“That’s for sure,” said Anketam. He knew that Jacovik envied him the job; he knew that Jacovik had only missed the appointment by a narrow margin.

“Jac,” he said, “have you got a man on your crew that you can trust to take over your job?”

“Madders could do it, I think,” Jacovik said cautiously. “Why?”

“This is too big a job for one man,” said Anketam quietly. “I’ll need help. I want you to help me, Jac.”

There was a long silence while the men walked six paces. Then Jacovik said: “I’ll do whatever I can, Ank. Whatever I can.” There was honest warmth in his voice.

Again there was a silence.

“Blejjo,” Anketam said after a time, “do you mind coming out of retirement for a while?”

“Not if you need me, Ank,” said the old man.

“It won’t be hard work,” Anketam said. “I just want you to take care of the village when I’m not there. Settle arguments, assign the village work, give out punishment if necessary–things like that. As far as the village is concerned, you’ll be supervisor.”

“What about the field work, Ank?” Blejjo asked. “I’m too old to handle that. Come spring, and–“

“I said, as far as the village is concerned,” Anketam said. “I’ve got another man in mind for the field work.”

And no one was more surprised than Basom when Anketam said: “Basom, do you think you could handle the crew in the field?”

Basom couldn’t even find his tongue for several more paces. When he discovered at last that it was still in his mouth, where he’d left it, he said: “I … I’ll try, Ank. I sure will try, if you want me to. But … well … I mean, why pick me?“

Old Blejjo chuckled knowingly. Jacovik, who hardly knew the boy, just looked puzzled.

“Why not you?” Anketam countered.

“Well … you’ve always said I was lazy. And I am, I guess.”

“Sure you are,” said Anketam. “So am I. Always have been. But a smart lazy man can figure out things that a hard worker might overlook. He can find the easy, fast way to get a job done properly. And he doesn’t overwork his men because he knows that when he’s tired, the others are, too. You want to try it, Basom?”

“I’ll try,” said Basom earnestly. “I’ll try real hard.” Then, after a moment’s hesitation. “Just one thing, Anketam–“

“What’s that?”

“Kevenoe. I don’t want him coming around me. Not at all. If he ever said one word to me, I’d probably break his neck right there.”

Anketam nodded. The Chief had given Zillia to Kevenoe only two months before, and the only one who liked the situation was Kevenoe himself.

“I’ll deal with Kevenoe, Basom,” Anketam said. “Don’t you worry about that.”

“All right, then,” Basom said. “I’ll do my best, Anketam.”

“You’d better,” said Anketam. “If you don’t, I’ll just have to give the job to someone else. You hear?”