The Walrus and the Warwolf

'But the cat fought back,' said Drake. 'Man, that's a beautiful cat you got there. I love cats.'

'That good,' said Whale Mike, stroking his cat and kissing it once again. 'That mean you smart. All smartest people like cats. Not like dogs. That dog, that stupid animal for stupid people.''Verily,' said Drake.

And, before he slept, he helped Mike slander dogs at length and in detail, and praise the race of cats to the very heavens.

At dawn, the Walrus put to sea. Towards noon, Drake stumbled onto the deck in company with Whale Mike. The Greaters were but a smudge on the far horizon. But, much closer, visible in every detail, was the unlovely Andranovory. Who gaped at Drake.

'Hoy,' said Andranovory. 'That's – that's-' 'This my friend,' said Whale Mike. 'We go see Slagger Mulps.''You – I – hey, boys! – there's-'

Andranovory swayed on his feet. He was drunk -hence his incoherence. There were ragged red cat-scratches on his right-hand cheek.'Come,' said Whale Mike. 'This way. Come.'

And Drake, very shortly, was shown into the captain's cabin, which was set in the poop of the ship.

On the Walrus everything was dirt, filth and disorder. Her crew was not even in the habit of coiling ropes properly. The captain's cabin made a startling constrast to this general disorder, for it was neat, whitewashed and scrupulously clean. That Drake noted at first glance.

Then noted no more, for a sickening fear seized his senses, and he thought he would faint. His heart leaped like a frog trying to jump out of a water-barrel. His mouth tasted worse than it had when he had addressed the pirate's general assembly. He felt giddy.

Slagger Mulps sat behind a desk where charts were spread out. He looked at Drake, then looked at Whale Mike.'Leave,' said Mulps.'Okay,' said Mike cheerfully.

And withdrew his head and shoulders from the cabin, closing the door after him. Mulps watched Drake, saying nothing.

'I – I suppose you want some explanation, man,' said Drake. 'It was Menator sent me here. Lord Menator. He dared me aboard. I think he means to kill me by this dare. I think he means to kill you, too, aye, given time. Kill both of us. That's what this voyage is for. To be the death of us.''Why should he do that?' said Mulps.

'For empire, man,' said Drake. 'We're both lusting after leadership. Aye. Me to be king on Stokos. You to be admiral. That speaks ambition. Hence danger to Menator. He knows as much, so kills while the killing's easy.'

'I've thought as much myself,' said Slagger Mulps. 'The danger is to both of us. That makes us friends – perhaps. But … if you will sail with us, then you must swear yourself to secrecy.''Secrecy?' said Drake. 'About what?'

'Why, about the secrets of this voyage south, of course.'Drake thought. He had little choice. But-'I'll not swear,' said Drake, 'if your secret touches on

the lives of King Tor or Jon Arabin.'T thought you enemy with Arabin,' said Mulps. 'You

spoke against his speaking at assembly. That hardly leaves

you friends.'

'Aye,' said Drake, 'but we've not yet come to blood. I want to leave some hope between us for the future.' Slagger Mulps considered this.

There was much bad blood between Walrus and Warwolf. Could he afford to have Drake Douay aboard when Drake still had residual loyalties to Jon Arabin?

'What would happen,' said Slagger Mulps, 'if it came to a fight between Walrus and Warwolf?'

'Man,' said Drake, 'that's nothing to do with the voyage here. All I ask is to share your dangers, aye. At journey's end, I'll be back with King Tor. I'll say good words for you with the king. That's worth having, isn't it?

'But I'll say this – I've got some fair thoughts left for

Jon Arabin, but I've none left for one of his crew. That's Sully Yot I'm talking of, the wart-faced one. He tried to kill me – killed my dog while trying. He turned against my king. That's treason, man – to speak against the king.

'While shouting filth, he said hard words about another fellow I could mention. Not to be too subtle – yourself. Man, I know I spoke bad words in a worse temper when we first met. But since then – you know yourself I've sworn to marry Tor's daughter. I've pledged my flesh to an ogre. Whatever words I've spoken, I've no prejudice. My actions prove that.

'Man, I say this – you're as human as any other. Aye. Green hair, green eyes, the works. And I say this, too – if by one chance in a thousand million we clashed with Arabin on this voyage south, I'd fight for you and yours. At least till Sully Yot was dead at my feet.'

Drake ended his speech. Stood there. Trembling. Slagger Mulps stared at him. Broken loose by the ship's motion, a slim piece of sharpened graphite slid across the charts, fell off the table and broke as it hit the whitewashed floorboards.

'You speak well,' said the Walrus. 'I tell you this. The secrets of this voyage touch not on the lives of Arabin or Tor. So swear to keep our secrets.'

Drake consented to place his hand on a virgin's breech-cloth – an article which Slagger Mulps regarded with superstitious awe – and swear himself to secrecy.'Now all can be revealed,' said Mulps.Drake bated his breath and waited for revelation.

'We run to Narba first,' said Mulps, in a conspiratorial whisper, 'there to sell a cargo of seal furs.'Drake snorted, and breathed easy.'Is that all? Is that the ship's secret?'

'If it were known we were engaged in honest trade,' said Slagger Mulps, 'it would shame us for thrice five generations.'

'Aagh, Jon Arabin runs for pearls, and makes no secret of it,' said Drake.

'Yes – but the pearl run reeks of danger. That's different from braining baby seals and ripping their bodies naked.'

There was, Drake had to admit, a difference. But he could not help thinking the secret ridiculous. Surely there was more to know.

'What special plan have you for capturing a monster?' said Drake. 'They're fearsome fierce, these monsters of the Swarms.'

'Courage will serve us,' said the Walrus, blandly. 'We'll have men killed in the attempt, doubtless, but we'll win through in the end. You'll have your opportunity to cover yourself with glory.'

Drake, at that moment, would rather have covered himself with a blanket. He had not slept very well the night before. As nervous tension ebbed away, he felt weak with fatigue. But there was one thing he needed before he could really relax: a safe-conduct pass or its equivalent.

'Man,' said Drake, 'as maybe you know, I've tangled with a few of your men in the past. They're more likely enemies than friends. So I'd like you to get your men to swear to my safety.'The Walrus laughed.

'I'm not your mother,' he said. 'You'll have to stand up for yourself. That's a test of your worth – to make peace with the crew.'

'Another test!' said Drake. 'These tests will be the death of me!'

'Mayhap,' said Slagger Mulps. 'But that's your problem, not mine. Now out – I've got to chart the details of our trip to the terror-lands, aye, the terror-lands of the Deep South.'

Out on deck, Drake looked around for Whale Mike, who was nowhere in sight. In his hold, doubtless. Drake hastened there – but was intercepted by Andranovory.

'You!' said Andranovory, swaying.

'What do you want?' said Drake.'This!' said Andranovory.

And punched Drake in the gut. Hard. Drake took the blow easily, and punched back. His fist sank into Andranovory's belly as if the man were made of marsh-mallow. The black-bearded brute grunted in surprise, and sat down on the deck in a hurry.

Drake was about to put in the boot when he saw he had spectators. Bucks Cat and Ish Ulpin were watching him.'Drake!' said Ish Ulpin. 'Over here!'

Reluctantly, Drake went toward Ish Ulpin. The lean, pale man looked as if he never saw the sun. Big black Bucks Cat stood beside him, grinning as merrily as the knife-scar on his throat.

'Whale Mike tells us you're sailing south with us,' said Ish Ulpin.'Aye,' said Drake.

'We hear tell that the Warwolf tangled with Swarms and such on her last voyage south.' 'That's true,' said Drake.