midday
When he had pointed that out to an underling he was off again , and Raf was free to continue his crab 's progress . Luck favored him , for , as he reached the moment when he must duck out the portal , there was a sudden flurry at the other end of the chamber where four of the aliens , under a volley of orders , strove to move an unwieldy piece of intricate machinery . Raf dodged around the door and flattened back against the wall of the room beyond . The moving bars of sun said that it was midday . But the room was empty save for the despoiled carcass , and there was no sign of the aliens who had been sent out to scout . The Terran ran lightly down the narrow room to the second door , which gave on the lower pits beneath and the way to the arena . As he took that dark way , he drew his stun gun .