elt around over his forearm
until the empty knife sheath was uppermost. One of the crew came forward
and slammed back into its proper place the long diver's knife which had
been there when Ross was captured. Then the Rover offered belt and
gill-pack to Ross. The Terran relaxed. His gamble had paid off; by the
present signs he had won his freedom.

"And my swordsman?" As he buckled on the belt Ross nodded at Loketh
still lying bound where they had pushed him at the beginning of the
fight.

"He is sworn to you?" Torgul asked.

"He is."

"Loose the coast rat then," the Rover ordered. "Now--tell me, stranger,
what manner of man are you? Do you come from the Foanna, after all? You
have a magic which is not our magic, since the Stone of Phutka did not
reveal it on you. Are you from the Shades?"

His fingers moved in the same sign Loketh had once made before Karara.
Ross gave his chosen explanation.

"I am from the sea, Captain. As for the Foanna, they are no friend to
me, since they hold captive in their keep one who is my brother-kin."

Torgul stared him up and down. "You say you are from the sea. I have
been a Rover since I was able to stumble on my two feet across a deck,
after the manner and custom of my people, yet I have never seen your
like before. Perhaps your coming means ill to me and mine, but by the
Law of Battle, you have won your freedom on this ship. I swear to you,
however, stranger, that if ill comes from you, then the Law will not
hold, and you shall match your magic against the Strength of Phutka.
That you shall discover is another thing altogether."

"I will swear any oath you desire of me, Captain, that I have no ill
toward you and yours. There is only one wish I hold: to bring him whom I
seek out from the Foanna hold before they make him witches' meat."

"That will be a task worthy of any magic you may be able to summon,
stranger. We have tasted this night of the power of the sea gate. Though
we went in under the Will of Phutka, we were as weeds whirled about on
the waves. Who enters that gate must have more force than any we now
know."

"And you, too, then have a score to settle with the Foanna?"

"We have a score against the Foanna, or against their magic," Torgul
admitted. "Three ships--one island fairing--are gone as if they never
were! And those who went with them are of our fleet-clan. There is the
work of the Shadow stretching dark and heavy across the sea, new come
into these waters