is switch-stick under Gus

White's trembling nose. 'This is the operations room of The Lady from

Louisiana, Mister - not some third rate base canteen full of

red-heads!

Don't ever let me catch you mouthing off like that again in front of

the Commander! D'ya hear me?!" he thundered.

'Loud and clear, SAH!" cried Gus, in a cracked voice.

As darkness fell, the wagon train turned round on itself, parking nose

to tail with its sixteen cars forming a circle.

Secure behind The Lady's formidable defences, the crew pulled down

their folding bunks and went to sleep. A small guard detail in the

front and rear command cars manned the tv screens linked to the wagon

train's electronic sensing devices.

Despite their sophistication, they did not reveal the presence of Mr

Snow and a large posse of M'Cail Bears studying the wagon train from

the stony ridge of the nearest ground.

Mr Snow turned to Motor-Head. 'The iron snake sleeps.

We will go south. Bring Cadillac."

Motor-Head nodded silently and disappeared into the darkness with

eleven of his clan-brothers.

Taking care to avoid high ground, Mr Snow and the rest of the posse

made a wide detour south and then westwards until they picked up the

trail left by the giant steel-clad tyres of the wagon train. They

found some cover and squatted patiently until Cadillac arrived with his

heavily-armed esCOrt.

Mr Snow took Cadillac by the arm and led him to the trail left by the

wagon train. 'This is the path of the iron snake.

Walk along it and search for a seeing-stone. If you fred one the snake

has passed over, take it into your mind and tell me what you see."

Cadillac wandered up and down both sets of tracks. Mr Snow followed at

a discreet distance. After sighing heavily several times and throwing

up his arms in supplication and to express varying degrees of despair,

Cadillac found a seeing-stone. He picked it up and showed it to Mr

Snow.

The stone, which had as far as Mr Snow could see nothing to distinguish

it from those around it, was about the size of a baby's head. Mr Snow

examined it reverently. 'Is this really ringed with a golden light?"

Cadillac took the stone back. 'Don't mock me, Old One."

'I was never more serious,' said Mr Snow. 'This is a great power that

you have. One that I have longed for all my life.

Let us hope that you will master it quickly and become skilled in its

use. What knowledge does the stone hold?"

Cadillac knelt on the ground between the tracks. He closed his eyes,

cupped the stone in his hands and placed it against his forehead.

After a while he lowered the stone, letting his hands rest against his

thighs. 'What knowledge do you seek?" he asked in a far-away voice.

His eyes opened but they were blind to the outside world.

'I would know the iron snake,' said Mr Snow. 'Tell me how it is

fashioned. Tell me what lies within its belly."

Cadillac closed his eyes and gripped the stone tightly.

'Many things,' he said, distantly. 'Strange things. I have no words

to say what they are."

'llse the words you have,' said Mr Snow. 'The Sky Voices will help me

see beyond them."

Motor-Head and the posse of M'Call Bears split into two groups, one on

each side of the trail, and crouched alertly, their eyes and their

heightened senses, probing the enveloping darkness.

Cadillac stood up and retraced his steps up and down the track of the

wagon train, the seeing-stone clutched tightly in his hands. Mr Snow

followed. Cadillac stopped and looked upwards with unseeing eyes, lips

drawn back over his teeth, his face contracted with fear. 'The iron

snake passes over me.

It is full of hate ... death. its belly is full of warriors who thirst

for our blood."

'How many warriors?" asked Mr Snow.

'A great number. They lie in every part of the snake."

'Count them,' ordered Mr Snow.

Cadillac frowned. 'It is difficult. I cannot -' 'Don't argue,' said

Mr Snow. 'Just do it."