with the
same blood-bath result of a foray on a Wrecker port. And, since all the
fleet-clans denied the sneak-and-strike, kill-and-destroy tactics which
had finished those Rover holdings, the seafarers were divided in their
opinion as to whether the murderous raids were the work of Wreckers
suddenly acting out of character and taking to the sea to bring war back
to their enemies, or whether there was a rogue fleet moving against
their own kind for some purpose no Rover could yet guess.

"And you believe?" Ross asked as Torgul finished his resume of the new
dangers besetting his people.

Torgul's hand, its long, slender fingers spidery to Terran eyes, rubbed
back and forth across his chin before he answered:

"It is very hard for one who has fought them long to believe that
suddenly those shore rats are entrusting themselves to the waves,
venturing out to stir us with their swords. One does not descend into
the depths to kick a salkar in the rump; not if one still has his wits
safely encased under his skull braid. As for a rogue fleet ... what
would turn brother against brother to the extent of slaying children and
women? Raiding for a wife, yes, that is common among our youth. And
there have been killings over such matters. But not the killing of a
woman--never of a child! We are a people who have never as many women as
there are men who wish to bring them into the home cabin. And no clan
has as many children as they hope the Shades will send them."

"Then who?"

When Torgul did not answer at once Ross glanced at the Captain, and what
the Terran thought he saw showing for an instant in the other's eyes was
a revelation of danger. So much so that he blurted out:

"You think that I--we--"

"You have named yourself of the sea, stranger, and you have magic which
is not ours. Tell me this in truth: Could you not have killed Vistur
easily with those two blows if you had wished it?"

Ross took the bold course. "Yes, but I did not. My people kill no more
wantonly than yours."

"The coast rats I know, and the Foanna, as well as any man may know
their kind and ways, and my people--But you I do not know, sea stranger.
And I say to you as I have said before, make me regret that I suffered
you to claim battle rights and I shall speedily correct that mistake!"

"Captain!"

That cry had come from the cabin door behind Ross. Torgul was on his
feet with the swift movements of a man called many times in the past for
an ins