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As Mark moved forward to counter this frontal attack； a third thrown stone went past his head； a little closer than the previous two。 The climber； once more seeing Townsaver right above his head； dropped off the boulder's flank as he had before。 Again Mark spun around； in time to dodge another missile。
A sound that had begun some time ago now registered in his attention； growing louder。 It was the rumble of wagon wheels； drawing nearer with fair speed。 And now the wagon came into sight； moving southbound on the road； pulled by two loadbeasts and approaching at a brisk pace。 On the wagon's cloth sides large symbols were rather crudely painted。 Mark had seen the wagons of tinkers； priests； and peddlers decorated with signs meant for advertisement and magic； but never signs like these。 Dancing on his boulder； he had no time to puzzle about meanings now； but sang out for help as loudly as he could。
An open seat at the front of the wagon held three people； the one in the middle being a young woman。 All three faces were turned toward the fight； but for a moment it appeared that the wagon was going to rush straight on past。 It did not。 Instead the driver； another wiry man somewhat older than Mark's assailants； cried out to his team and reined in sharply on one side。 The vehicle had already passed the rocks； but now it swerved sharply and came back； leaving the road in a sharp； tilting turn。
When the man at the foot of the rock saw this； he set up his own cry for aid。 〃Help！ We got us a runaway and a thief treed here。 There's a reward； that's a stolen weapon he's got in his hands。〃
His voiceless associate； running back from the far side of the rocks； grunted and waved his arms； achieving nothing but a short distraction。 While Mark； in outrage momentarily greater even than his fear； yelled： 〃Not so！ It's mine！〃
The wagon had braked to a halt in a swirl of dust； a pebble's toss from where Mark stood。 The wiry man who gripped the reins now had his eyes raised judgmatically toward Mark； thinking things over before he acted。 The girl in the middle of the seat had straight black hair； cut short； and a round； button…nosed； somehow impertinent face； looking full of life if not exactly pretty。 On the other side of her； the seat sagged under a heavy…set youth who wore a minstrel's plumed cap； and a look of no great intelligence upon his almost childish face。 In his thick fingers this youth was nursing a lute； which instrument he now slowly and carefully put back into the covered rear portion of the wagon。
In the momentary silence； a thin whining sound arose from somewhere； to fade out again as abruptly as it had begun。 Mark's hopes soared for an instant； but the sound； whatever it had been； had not proceeded from the sword。
His enemy who could speak still urged the wagondriver： 〃Help us get him down； and we'll split the reward。〃
Mark pleaded loudly： 〃I'm no runaway； they're trying to rob me。 This sword is mine。〃
〃Reward？〃 asked the wiry driver。 He squinted from one to another of the two men on foot。
The spokesman nodded。 〃Split 'er right down the middle：'
〃Reward from who？〃
〃Duke Fraktin himself。〃
The driver nodded slowly； ing to his conclusion。 He looked up once more at the anguished Mark； then shook his head。 〃Fetch out the crossbow； Ben … go on； do it； I say。〃
The crossbow produced by the large youth from inside the wagon was bigger than any similar weapon in Mark's limited experience。 He could feel his inward parts constricting at the very sight of it。 Ben cocked it with a direct pull； not using stirrup or crank； and without apparent effort。 Then he loaded a bolt into the groove； and handed the weapon to the driver。
〃Now；〃 said the driver； in his most reasonable voice yet。 And with a faint smile he laid his aim directly on the man who was standing closest to his wagon。 〃You and your partner； mount up。 And ride away。〃
The man who was looking at the wrong end of the crossbow turned color。 He made a tentative motion with his knife； then put it back into its sheath。 He stuttered over an argument； then gave it up in curses。 Meanwhile his speechless panion stood by looking hangdog。
Ben's hands now held a formidable cudgel； and the look on his childish face was woeful but determined。 The young woman； her expressive features all grimness now； had brought out a small hatchet from somewhere。
〃Of course；〃 remarked the wagon…driver distantly； 〃if you two don't want your mounts； we sure could use 'em。〃
The two he was confronting exchanged a look between them。 Then they stalked to where they'd left their animals； and mounted。 With a look back； and a muttering of curses； they rode off along the road to the northeast。
The muscular youth called Ben let out a tremulous sigh； a puffing of relief； and tucked his club away。 The driver carefully watched his two opponents out of sight； then he handed the crossbow back to Ben； who carefully unloaded it； easing the taut cords。
Mark looked more closely at the driver now； and was reminded vaguely of the militia drillmaster he'd once heard shouting mands at Kenn and a hundred others。 But there was kindness in the driver's voice as he said： 〃You can put the sword down now； boy。。。〃
〃It's mine。〃
〃Why； surely。 We don't dispute that。〃 The driver had blue eyes that tended to squint； a nose once broken； and a thick fall of sandy hair。 The muscular youth； looking friendly and overgrown； was regarding Mark with sympathy。 As was the pert girl； who had put away her hatchet。 Mark carefully set the sword down on the rock at his feet and rubbed his fingers； which were cramped from the ferocity with which he'd gripped the hilt。 〃Thank you；〃 he said。
The driver nodded almost formally。 〃You're wele。 My name is Nestor； and I hunt dragons to earn my bread。 This is Barbara sitting next to me； and that's my apprentice； Ben。 You look like maybe you could use a ride somewhere。〃
Again the keening； moaning sound rose faintly。 Mark thought that he could locate it now inside the wagon； some kind of captive animal； he thought； or a pet。
〃My name is Einar；〃 said Mark。 It was a real name； that of one of his uncles； and another answer that he'd thought out ahead of time。 And now； because his knees had started to tremble； worse than ever before； he sat down on the rock。 And only now did he notice how dry his mouth was。
And only after he'd sat down did it sink in： I hunt dragons 。。。 。
〃We can give you a ride； if you're agreeable；〃 Nestor was saying。 〃And maybe a little something to munch on as we travel； hey？ One advantage of a wagon； you can do other things while you keep moving：〃
Mark pulled himself together and rewrapped the sword。 Then with it in hand he slid down from atop the boulder。
〃Can I take that for you？〃 asked Nestor； reaching down from the elevated seat。 Mark had made his decision； and handed up the sword； Nestor put it back inside the wagon。 Then one of Ben's thick fingered hands closed on Mark's arm； and he was lifted aboard as if he were a babe。
Barbara had made room on the seat for Mark by going back into the paratively dim interior of the wagon。 She was fussing about with something there； in a place crowded with containers； bales； and boxes。
Nestor already had the loadbeasts pulling。 〃Going south all right with you； Einar？〃
〃I was headed that way。〃 Mark closed his eyes； then opened them again； because of images of knives。 He could feel his heart beating。 He let things go； and let himself be carried。
Chapter 5
Riding the wagon's jouncing seat； Mark was startled out of an incipient daze by the return of the squealing noise。 This time it came insistently； from close behind him。 He looked back quickly。 Barbara； crouching in the back of the wagon； had just removed a cloth cover from a small but sturdy wooden cage。 Inside the cage … by Vulcan's hammer and Ardneh's bones！ … was a weasel…sized creature that could only be a dragon。 Mark had never seen one before； but what else could be as scaly as a snake and at the same time be equipped with wings？
Seeing Mark turn his head； Barbara smiled at him。 She delayed whatever she was doing with the dragon long enough to hand Mark a jug of water； and then； when he'd had a drink； a piece of fruit。 As he bit into that； she got busy feeding the dragon； handing it something that she fished out of a sizable earthen crock。 Mark faced forward again； chewing。 Ben had a different； smaller jug in hand。 〃Brandy？〃
〃No thanks。〃 Mark had never tasted strong drink of any kind before； and didn't know what effect it might be likely to have on him。 He'd seen a village man or two destroyed by constant heavy drinking。 Ben … who was getting a frown from Nestor stowed away the jug。
〃Is that blood on your shirt； Einar？〃 Barbara called from the rear。 〃You all right？〃
〃No m'am。 I mean； yes it is； but it's old。 I'm all right。〃
Ben's curiosity was growing almost visibly。 〃That's sure some sword you got。〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Nestor； who was driving now at a brisk pace； mostly concentrating on the road ahead； but frequently looking back。 〃Real pretty blade there。〃
〃I had it from my father。〃 If his hearers believed that； Mark expected them to draw the wrong conclusion from it。 No one would be much surprised to find a nobleman's bastard out on the road； hiking in poverty； carrying along some gift or inheritance that was hard to translate to any practical benefit。 Now Mark repeated the story about his armorer…uncle being in the employ of kind Sir Andrew。 He couldn't be sure how much his audience believed； though they nodded politely enough。
Ben wagged his large head sympathetically。 〃I'm an orphan myself。 But it don't worry me any more。〃 From behind the seat he pulled out the lute he had been holding earlier； and strummed it。 Mark thought that it sounded a little out of tune。 Ben went on： 〃I'm really a minstrel。 Just 'prenticing with Nestor here till I can get a good start at what I really want to do。 We got an agreement that I can quit any time I'm ready。〃
Nestor nodded as if to confirm this。 〃Good worker；〃 he remarked。 〃Hate to lose you when you go。〃 Ben strummed again； and began to sing：
The song was。。。 No； this song is
The ballad of gallant young Einar
Who was walking as free as。。。
The singer paused。 〃Hard to find a rhyme for that name。〃 He thought for a moment and tried again：
Young Einar was walking the roads
As free as a lark one day
Along came two men
Who wanted。。。
〃That's not quite how it ought to go；〃 Ben admitted modestly； after a moment's thought。
〃Must be hard to play while were bouncing；〃 said Barbara understandingly。 There had in fact been one or two obvious wrong notes。
Mark was thinking that Ben's was not really one of the best singing voices he'd ever heard； either。 But no one else had any ment about that； and he sure wasn't going to be the first to mention it。
Throughout the rest of the day Nestor kept the wagon rolling pretty； steadily。 He showed his wish for concealment by expressing his satisfaction when a belt of fog engulfed the road for a kilometer or so。 He was always alertly on watch； and he had Barbara and Mark take turns riding in the rear of the wagon； next to the dragons cage； keeping an eye out to the rear for the soldiers of the Duke； Mark assumed； though Nestor never actually said so。 From inside the covered； swaying cage； the unseen small dragon squealed intermittently。 It reminded Mark of the odd noise that a rabbit would sometimes let out when an arrow hit it。 Beside the cage was the earthen crock； with a weighted net for a top； that held live frogs。 Mark was told that these were the dragon's food； and he fed it one or two。 It's tiny breath； too young to burn； steamed at his hand。 It's toy eyes； doll…eyes； glittered darkly。
〃When do we leave Duke Fraktin's territory？〃 Mark asked at one point in the afternoon。 By now the foothills had been left behind； and the road was traversing firmly inhabited land under a cloudy sky。 Fields almost ready for harvest alternated with woodlands and pastures。 Nestor had d