Sos explained where they had met. 'Good fight!' Bog exclaimed, remembering Sol. But he did not know or care where Sol's tribe had gone.
'Why not travel with me?' Sos asked him, thinking of the Pit doubles. To team with such a man-! 'I'm looking for Sol., Maybe we can find him together. Maybe another good fight.'
'Okay!' Bog agreed heartily. 'You come with me.'
'But I want to inquire at the Pit's. You're going the wrong way.'
Bog did not follow the reasoning. 'My way,' he said firmly, hefting the club.
Sos could think of only one way to budge him-a dangerous way. 'I'll fight you for it. I win, we go my way. Okay?'
'Okay!' he agreed with frightening enthusiasm. The prospect of a fight always swayed Bog.
Sos had to backtrack two hours' journey to reach the nearest circle, and by that time it was late afternoon. The giant was eager to do battle, however.
'All right-but we quit at dusk.'
'Okay!' And they entered the circle as people rushed up to witness the entertainment. Some had seen Bog fight before, or heard of him, and others had encountered Sos. There was considerable speculation about the outcome of this unusual match. Most of it consisted of estimates of the number of minutes or seconds it would require for Bog to take the victory.
It was fully as bad as he had feared. Bog blasted away with his club, heedless of obstructions. Sos ducked and weaved and backpedaled, feeling naked without a solid weapon, knowing that sooner Or later the ferocious club would catch up to him. Bog didn't seem to realize that his blows hurt his opponents; to him, it was all sport.
Sos looped the arm with a quick throw-and Bog swung without change of pace, yanking the rope and Sos after him. The man had incredible power! Sos dropped the garrote over his head and tightened it behind the tremendous neck-and Bog kept swinging, unheeding, the muscles lining that column so powerful that he could not be choked.
The spectators gaped, but Bog was not even aware of them. Sos saw a couple of them touch their necks and knew they were marveling at Bog's invulnerability. Sos gave up the choke and concentrated on Bog's feet, looping them together when he had the chance and yanking. The big man simply stood there, legs spread, balanced by the backlash of his own swings, and caught the taut rope with a mash that ripped the other end from Sos's hands painfully.
By the time he recovered it, Bog was free, still swinging gleefully. Sos has managed to avoid anything more serious than grazing blows-but these were savage enough. It was only a matter of time, unless he retreated from the circle before getting tagged.
He cou'd not give up! He needed this man's assistance, and he had to ascertain that his weapon was effective against a top warrior as well as the mediocre ones. He decided upon one desperate stratagem.
Sos looped, not Bog's arm, but the club itself, catching it just above the handle. Instead of tightening the coil, however, he let it ride, keeping the rope slack as he ducked under the motion. As he did so, he dropped the rest of the rope to the ground, placed both feet upon it, and shifted his full weight to rest there.
As the club completed its journey the rope snapped taut. Sos was jerked off his feet by the yank-but the club received an equal shock, right at the moment least expected by the wielder. It twisted in Bog's hand as the head flipped over-and flew out of the circle.
Bog stared at the distant weapon openmouthed. He did not understand what had happened. Sos got to his feet and hefted his rope-but he still wasn't sure he could make the giant concede defeat.
Bog started to go after his club, but halted as he realized that he could not leave the circle without being adjudged the loser. He was baffled.
'Draw!' Sos shouted in a fit 'of inspiration. 'Tie! Food! Quit!'
'Okay!' Bog replied automatically. Then, before the man could figure out what it meant, Sos took his arm in a friendly grasp and guided him out of the arena.
'It was a draw,' Sos told him. 'As with Sol. That means nobody won, nobody lost. We're even. So we have to fight together next time. A team.'
