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Did not, I says

Uh … I think we’l jest start on up to the tavern, says Ash Her, Epona an Eives me a hard look You -headed swagger boots I ever reat You ain’t great at al

Not even the slightest bit! If it warn’t fer you an yer stupid plan to go see yer stupid friend in some stupid tavern, I wouldn’t of ended up in the river in the first place!

Oh, I knohat this is about, he says This is about Ash agin

It is not! Anyways, I couldn’t give two hoots about you an Ash or you an anybody else!

There ain’t nobody else! he yel s It’s al in yer tiny lit le mind! You knohat you need?

Yeah! I need you to shove of an leave hten up! My gawd, if yer out a yer mind, I must be out a mine even more! An you knohy? Fer even thinkin fer a moment that you an ht we could have a good tiether! You know … I’d help you find yer brother an you an me ’ud … you know

No! I don’t know, Jack! What the hel ’re you talkin about?

What I’rabs rabs my face an kisses me

I hold my hands away from me, stiAt rst, from shock But now to keep ’em away from Jack They’re itchin to touch him Al over His arive hioes sprawlin backwards into the mud

What was that fer? he yel s

Fer kissin in!

Oh don’t you worry about that, he says, I’d rather throw myself over that waterfal !

He picks hisself up

I’d rather sleep naked in a nest of scorpions! he says

He stomps of , leadin Ajax behind hilin

The faded sign creaks on its hinges The painted head of a hta be

Here we are, says Jack Welcome to the One-Eyed Man

The dark stone tavern hunches, low an mean-lookin, into the side of the in roof an pours over the edge A pale thread of smoke trickles out a the chimley

It don’t look too welcomin to me, says Ash

I don’t like it, says Eit a bowl of Ike’s rock squirrel stew inside you, things’l look a lot brighter

We lead the horses to a lean-to There’s a few horses there already, includin a big piebald ether fer warmth They flick their ears an whicker softly as we tie our horses next to ’eit set led in first, then we can deal with the gear an the horses

There’s a candle burnin in th’only , a narrow slit set halfways along the walJack rings the bel beside the bat ered old wood door Right away, the candle goes out

Looks like yer friend Ike don’t want company, I says

Probly heard you was comin, says Jack, al sour faced

He tries the rusty latch It don’t s on the door with his fist Thud thud thud Thud thud thud

Ike! he shouts Ike Twelvetrees! It’s me! It’s Jack! Let me in!

Nuthin

Hey! Open up! I yel an pound on the door I go to try an shoulder it open, but Jack holdson, he says There’s a knack to it He leans back, lifts his leg an gives the door a aloes in an we trail behind