Page 38 (1/2)

"I shen I caain in winter if I could help it," I told her, "but I , really"

She nodded, her cheeks red, her nose running, and her big, round face radiant "There's floatflowers in this wind"

A s back?"

"Is who co back?"

"Weasel says you told him to talk to somebody else"

"Oh Oreb Yes, I did I sent hi the draw of the reat deal of attention to the s back?"

"I hope so He always has, though he was gone for nearly a year once"

Capsicuunwale beside her and shooed the boys away "You're in danger Do you know that?"

I sat "Not froer; but at the moment, that's not at all severe From Gyrfalcon, is that what youof the kind I know you thought Icalde-your tone and expression made that plain But Gyrfalcon was a member of the committee that senttried to carry out his instructions, and if he punishes ht that if one of theree"

It was not precisely what I had said, but I nodded

"But they'd be happy with you I think you're right" She looked pensive

"I said nothing of the kind I said that it was thought they ht accept Calde Silk"

She remained silent after that, I believe until I had put the yawl about and started back to New Viron Then she began to talk about the possibility that Gyrfalcon ive him time"

"New Viron's sickness is not Gyrfalcon," I told her "It was a cruel and lawless place without hi A bad horse needs a big whip, as the saying goes We overthrew the judges of Dorp Possibly you've heard"

She was silent The two boys drew nearer to listen

"It was easy-so easy that a young friend and I ordered the judge presiding over ht not have taken place if he had not He wanted to disainst , please You're letting us drift doind"

I took the tiller ot to know the people of Dorp," I told her "They're good people-brave, hardworking, and much cleaner than we Shrewd traders, but kind and basically honest The judges had taken advantage of their good qualities, and so the judges had to go; if I had not removed them, the people the advantage of the good qualities of the people, froe of their bad ones If they are too quarrelsoly pay his taxes to be protected from one another, they have no reason to complain"

When she still appeared unconvinced, I told her, "Dorp was like Viron-it needed a better governht, and I instructed Weasel and his friend in lowering the mainsail, then had theht unwale "In its present state," I told Capsicuood person-by General Mint, for example"

"Or Silk"

"Or by Silk You're quite correct Either would have to groorse, or give the tiller to someone else"

Oreb reached our boat (I should have ) shortly after we dropped the , "Bird back!" and "Good Silk!" and pulling my hair as usual All his nonsense

Chapter 14 LUNCHEON AT THE CALDE'S PALACE

Do all of you wish to see the calde?" Bison's clerk inquired doubtfully

Pig said, "Aye," and rose; Hound nodded, cleared his throat, and said, "Y-yes" Oreb, who had taken a dislike to the clerk, spat, "Bad man!"

"I'll have to see about it," the clerk informed them, and disappeared for the second time behind the heavy door of carved oak

Perhaps to conceal his nervousness, Hound said, "I suppose this has changed a lot since the last time you were here, Horn?"

He shook his head "It seems very much the same This is a new carpet, but it seee to Calde Silk That is certainly the door I reuess that these chairs were here then"

The clerk returned, nodded, and o in now Watch out for the lintel"

"Naetook his arracious"

The paneled room beyond held more chairs and two desks, both littered with papers; a second door larger than the first yielded s at its massive handle ofthe city showed through the widening crevice; beside it the edge of a functioning glass, blank but shi man appeared to assist the clerk with the heavy door His beard was streaked with gray, and his dark hair had receded fro him, Hound sed audibly

The bearded , but I had a few little arrangements to make" He offered his hand

Hound shook it "These are , Calde It's Horn who really has to see you"

Bison nodded; his suarded now

"He's come all the way from Blue That's what he says Iand I Well, I thought I'd better come too"

He looked at his companions desperately; the smaller said, "I've been sent here by New Viron, the town our colonists have founded I'd like to tell you about it"

Bison shook his hand and invited thee and comfortable, elaborately carved, with red leather seats and tapestried backs He edged his nearer Bison, discovering that it was so heavy he had difficultyit