its own vomit, and has other habits equally amusing. Drake loved dogs. But this one attacked him, thereby losing his favour.
After the dog had been put down, the five ventured to the tower. It was made of enormous stones, as if it had been built to last ten thousand years.
'Where did pirates find the skill to build such as this?' said Blackwood.'Slaves manage such,' said Drake, vaguely.
He had never had anything much to do with the slaves of the Greater Teeth, but knew they handled most of the skilled work which was done in the Greaters.
'Hoy! You farts there!' roared a big black pirate, stepping from the door of the tower.'Run?' said Miphon.
'Go on,' said Drake, though his heart was hammering. T know the man. It's Bucks Cat. He's okay.' 'Ahoy there!' yelled Drake. 'Ahoy yourself,' shouted Cat.
Then said nothing further as Drake and his companions closed the distance. When they were almost at the door to the tower, a lean, pale man stepped forth to join Bucks Cat. It was Ish Ulpin!Drake's heart beat the faster.
'Why, hello darling,' said Ish Ulpin. 'How came you here? And who are your friends?'
'Stout men with good steel,' said Drake. 'There'll be no trouble here, I trust. We're old shipmates, aren't we?''Perhaps we are,' said Bucks Cat, grinning.
He whistled. Forth from the shadows stepped Ika Thole and Simp Fiche. Then another man: a rough-bearded brute with a scarred bald patch the size of a man's palm on the top of his head.'Andranovory!' cried Drake in astonishment.
'The same,' said Atsimo Andranovory. 'Alive and kicking. No thanks to you! You betrayed me in Selzirk. I was seized from Jone, held within dungeons, beaten, tortured, questioned for month upon month. I was lucky to escape with my life.'
'Man,' said Drake, T never betrayed you. In Selzirk I came face to face with a wizard who read minds, aye. He picked your whereabouts from my brain. Precious little I could do about that! Anyway, here you are as large as life. So what matter past sufferings?'
Miphon and Blackwood, at the sight of Andranovory, had sunk back as best they could behind the soldiers Scouse and Lurghen. But Andranovory had recognized them at first glance, and now he named them:
'Look, boys, at those two skulking there! You know who they are? They're Miphon and Blackwood, aye. Companions of the questing hero, Morgan Hearst. They've lately ruled in Estar as kings. They'll buy a rich ransom, I'll warrant.'
'Peace!' said Drake, hastily, as hands dropped to sword-hilts. 'Let's have no fighting before a hearing.'
'I've no time for listening to lies,' said Ish Ulpin. And drew his blade. But nobody drew with him. For, after all, the odds were even – five versus five. 'All right then,' said Ish Ulpin, seeing how things stood. 'Tell your story. But get it over with quick.'
'It's simple enough,' said Drake. 'Things came to war between Morgan Hearst and the good lords Blackwood and Miphon. Hearst won for the moment, for he has the Rovac with him. Hence we fled. Me and these other two, we're mercenaries sworn to the service of Blackwood here. Our hope now is to venture to Ling to gain a pearl- fortune to finance an army to win back Estar from Hearst.'
'And where will you find such an army for sale?' said Ish Ulpin.'Why, on Stokos, of course,' said Drake.
'Doubt it!' said Ika Thole. 'All men in arms under the rule of Watashi are kept busy in battles against the Swarms.''Watashi?' said Drake.
'Watashi, ruler of Stokos,' said Thole. 'You've not heard of Watashi? He's son of Farfalla of the Harvest Plains.'
'He's heard of Watashi!' said Andranovory. 'Why, he's had open disputes with the man. I heard of such while rotting in the dungeons of Selzirk. Seems Drake thieved a bard from the prince – a thing frightful precious, whatever it be.'
T never stole it!' said Drake. 'That was my bard from the start! I found it in a tower near Ling, aye, won its magic at great cost to myself. And Watashi stole it from me!'
'No need to plead innocent!' said Ish Ulpin. 'We're no court of law, not us. All we care for is value. You've value to Watashi by way of revenge. If we can't get ransom for this Miphon and Blackwood, we'll win payment for you from Watashi.'
Drake heard distant singing from someone coming up the stairs to the tower. Miphon and Blackwood heard the singing as well, as did the soldiers Scouse and Lurghen.'Let's run for it,' said Blackwood.'No,' said Drake.
They could not escape Anvil without help from the pirates. If they ran, they would be hunted down and caught. Then one of the soldiers would surely seek to win favour from the pirates by giving up the secret of the red bottle and the death-stone. Then there would be no hope for Zanya.
'Boys,' said Drake, 'let's do a heal. We five can run, aye, and you'd be days hunting us. Or you can swear yourselves to a bargain. I'll surrender myself to be handed over to this Watashi. In turn, you'll let my comrades have liberty. They'll swear themselves to continue our quest south to Ling, and you'll help them gather together such pirates as wish to sail with them on the venture.'
Drake looked from face to face. Sweating. Would anyone swear to the bargain? Surely all would.
Bucks Cat, Ish Ulpin and the others would gain, as they would not have to hunt Drake over Anvil, but would take him prisoner immediately. Watashi would pay well for Drake. Unfortunately, during the year Drake ruled the Gates of Chenameg, Watashi had come that way – and Drake had given Watashi rather a hard time before letting him proceed. Watashi would doubtless hold a grudge.
Miphon and Blackwood would swear, surely. Neither wished to pledge themselves to a quest south to Ling. But they had very little choice. For, if they did not, Drake could easily reveal the secret of the red bottle, whereupon pirates would kill them for the wealth and power those artefacts represented. And the soldiers? They had sworn oaths of loyalty to Blackwood and Miphon. Such oaths would probably compel them. Furthermore, the pirates of the Greaters had an evil reputation, and the soldiers would welcome an arrangement which would guarantee their safety.
Only Drake would lose from such a bargain. But this was the only way he could now get Zanya to Ling. He would have to take his chances with Watashi.T swear,' said Andranovory, T swear – with this!'
He drew, and struck at Drake with his sword. As Drake leaped back, Ika Thole knocked down An'vory's arm.'Not so hasty,' said Thole.'Who hasty?' said a voice.
The voice belonged to a head, which belonged to a body, which, with some difficulty, squeezed its way out of the great door of the tower. It was Whale Mike!
'Drake!' said Mike. 'Long time no see! How you get here?''We flew,' said Drake.
'That good fun, flying,' said Mike. 'Why everyone not look happy? You not make hard time for old friends, surely?'
'Young Drake is no friend,' said Ish Ulpin. 'He stole our tinderbox in Penvash. He left us to shiver without fire.'
'You not shiver too much,' said Whale Mike. 'I remember that. You sleep in my armpit, you snore like baby. That not so tough. Anyway, what little thing like tinderbox between friends?'
'He's worth money!' said Andranovory. 'We can sell him to Watashi of Stokos!'
'Oh, that so?' said Whale Mike. T hear little thing about you sometimes. Watashi buy you, too, if we want sell something.''That's not true!' said Andranovory.'It not matter whether it true or not,' said Whale Mike.
'We all good friend. Come inside, come inside. Sky not very happy. It rain soon.'
Ish Ulpin spat with disgust and walked away. Bucks Cat followed. Both knew it was no good arguing with Whale Mike once Mike had decided somebody was a friend.
'Hey!' said Andranovory, in bewilderment. An'vory, who had not shared the ordeal on Chag-jalak or the trek through Penvash, had no idea of the depth of feeling binding Drake and Whale Mike. 'What's going on? These are our prisoners!'
'No,' said Ika Thole. 'These are Whale Mike's friends. Ah well . . . we've lost nothing. What would Watashi have paid for Drake Douay? A feather's weight of gold, perhaps, or a rat's head full of silver. Come, man, let's get a drink.'
Drake thought Watashi would have paid far more than that to have Drake Douay strapped down on a torture bench – but he did not bother to enlighten the pirates about his true worth.'Mike,' said Drake. 'It's good to meet
