the road. "Tal," I called to them.
"We are travelers," called the man. "We seek directions to Teslit."
"It lies on this road, to the south," I said.
"They are not travelers," said Marcus to me.
"No," I said.
"Far?" called the fellow.
"A pasang," I said.
"They have come from the south," said Marcus to me.
"I know," I said. I had been watching the road. Had they been following Marcus, on the road, in the open, I would have seen them. More importantly, from this height, with the sun on the road, one could see the tracks in the dust.
"They carry no packs," said Marcus.
"Their packs are probably in Teslit," I said. I was not the only one who could make inquiries in Teslit.
"They may have followed me," said Marcus, bitterly.
"I think it unlikely," I said, "that is, directly. Surely you would have been alert to such surveillance."
"I would have hoped so," he said. It is dangerous to follow a warrior, as it is a larl or sleen. Such, too often, double back. Such, too often, turn the game.
"Have no fear," called the fellow on the road.
"They may have anticipated your trek southward from the camp," I said. "They may have thought you had left earlier. In Teslit they would learn someone of my description had been recently there, but alone, and had then supposedly gone south. They may have hurried southward as far as they dared, but are now returning north. More likely, as I was alone in Teslit, they may have suspected a projected rendezvous, that I would be waiting in the vicinity for you to join me."
"We would speak with you!" called the fellow.
I did not blame them for not wanting to approach up the hill.
"Perhaps they are brigands," said Marcus.
"I do not think so," I said.
"What then?" asked he.
"Hunters," I said. "Hunters of men." Then I called down to the men on the road. "We are simple merchants," I said.
"Come down," he called, "that we may buy from you!"
"You fellows may be from Ar," I called. It would surely seem to them possible, I suspected, that Ar might have secret patrols in the area.
They looked at one another. Something was said among them. Then, again, the fellow lifted his head. "No," he called. "We are not of Ar."
"It is likely then," smiled Marcus, "that they are from the camp near the Vosk."
"Yes," I said.
"Do not be afraid!" called the man. "You have nothing to fear from us."
"We are simple merchants," I reminded him.
"We would buy from you," he called.
"What would you buy from us?" I asked.
"We have need of many things," he called. "Display your wares!"
"Come up," I called to him.
"Come down," he called.
"It will be dark in two or three Ahn," said Marcus.
"Yes," I said. It was not unlikely that we could hold this small camp until then. Then, in the darkness, we might slip away. I did not think they would wish to ascend the hill toward us. But, too, I suspected they would like to complete their work quickly.
"They could follow us in the morning," said Marcus.
"Yes," I said.
"Come down!" called the man on the road.
"Perhaps we should see what they wish," I said.
"Yes," said Marcus, grimly.
"Smile," I advised him.
We then, together, slipping a bit, descended from the camp to the road.
"You did not bring your wares," said the man, grinning. His two fellows moved away from him. In this fashion they would have room for the movement of steel.
"Packs are heavy," I said. "I thought it best to first ascertain your interests." Surely he did not seriously think I was going to encumber myself with a pack, not descending the hill, not regaining my balance at its foot, not carrying it to the road.
"You are still afraid," said the man.
"No," I said.
He drew forth from his tunic a blue armband, which he thrust up, over his sleeve, above the left elbow, grinning. "You see," he said, "there is nothing to
"We are travelers," called the man. "We seek directions to Teslit."
"It lies on this road, to the south," I said.
"They are not travelers," said Marcus to me.
"No," I said.
"Far?" called the fellow.
"A pasang," I said.
"They have come from the south," said Marcus to me.
"I know," I said. I had been watching the road. Had they been following Marcus, on the road, in the open, I would have seen them. More importantly, from this height, with the sun on the road, one could see the tracks in the dust.
"They carry no packs," said Marcus.
"Their packs are probably in Teslit," I said. I was not the only one who could make inquiries in Teslit.
"They may have followed me," said Marcus, bitterly.
"I think it unlikely," I said, "that is, directly. Surely you would have been alert to such surveillance."
"I would have hoped so," he said. It is dangerous to follow a warrior, as it is a larl or sleen. Such, too often, double back. Such, too often, turn the game.
"Have no fear," called the fellow on the road.
"They may have anticipated your trek southward from the camp," I said. "They may have thought you had left earlier. In Teslit they would learn someone of my description had been recently there, but alone, and had then supposedly gone south. They may have hurried southward as far as they dared, but are now returning north. More likely, as I was alone in Teslit, they may have suspected a projected rendezvous, that I would be waiting in the vicinity for you to join me."
"We would speak with you!" called the fellow.
I did not blame them for not wanting to approach up the hill.
"Perhaps they are brigands," said Marcus.
"I do not think so," I said.
"What then?" asked he.
"Hunters," I said. "Hunters of men." Then I called down to the men on the road. "We are simple merchants," I said.
"Come down," he called, "that we may buy from you!"
"You fellows may be from Ar," I called. It would surely seem to them possible, I suspected, that Ar might have secret patrols in the area.
They looked at one another. Something was said among them. Then, again, the fellow lifted his head. "No," he called. "We are not of Ar."
"It is likely then," smiled Marcus, "that they are from the camp near the Vosk."
"Yes," I said.
"Do not be afraid!" called the man. "You have nothing to fear from us."
"We are simple merchants," I reminded him.
"We would buy from you," he called.
"What would you buy from us?" I asked.
"We have need of many things," he called. "Display your wares!"
"Come up," I called to him.
"Come down," he called.
"It will be dark in two or three Ahn," said Marcus.
"Yes," I said. It was not unlikely that we could hold this small camp until then. Then, in the darkness, we might slip away. I did not think they would wish to ascend the hill toward us. But, too, I suspected they would like to complete their work quickly.
"They could follow us in the morning," said Marcus.
"Yes," I said.
"Come down!" called the man on the road.
"Perhaps we should see what they wish," I said.
"Yes," said Marcus, grimly.
"Smile," I advised him.
We then, together, slipping a bit, descended from the camp to the road.
"You did not bring your wares," said the man, grinning. His two fellows moved away from him. In this fashion they would have room for the movement of steel.
"Packs are heavy," I said. "I thought it best to first ascertain your interests." Surely he did not seriously think I was going to encumber myself with a pack, not descending the hill, not regaining my balance at its foot, not carrying it to the road.
"You are still afraid," said the man.
"No," I said.
He drew forth from his tunic a blue armband, which he thrust up, over his sleeve, above the left elbow, grinning. "You see," he said, "there is nothing to
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