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Authors: L. Sprague de Camp
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rowing again."
III
The Isle of Kinungung
The sun was well up when the Dragonet 's boat approached the pale-buff beach of Kinungung, backed by slanting palms with fronds like gigantic emerald feathers. Kerin's blistered hands were bandaged with strips of cloth from the hem of an extra shirt. Craning shoreward, he said:
"Belinka, methinks there's enough surf to run in on an incoming wave. Keep me headed exactly shoreward. If the boat slews, the wave could roll us over."
"Aye, aye, Master Kerin. A little more on your right oar!"
As the waves grew steeper with shoaling, Kerin took easy strokes. When a big one towered greenly over the stern, he dug in his oars, heedless of the pain of his blisters, and sent the boat shooting shoreward. Up and up went the stern as the craft gathered speed.
"More on your left!" squeaked Belinka, dancing above the after thwart.
The wave curled and broke, hurling foam and spray into the boat. The broken crest raced by on either side; and the bow of the vessel crunched on the ivory sand.
Kerin threw himself out in knee-deep water and seized the bow to keep the boat from being carried away by the backwash. When the water had fallen to ankle depth, he dragged the boat up the beach. The next upwash boosted the boat a few feet more, and Kerin wrestled the craft to above high-tide mark. As he hauled, huge yellow crabs, with bodies the size of a human head, scuttled away.
Sitting down to catch his breath, Kerin called: "Belinka!"
"Here, Master Kerin!"
"It's hard to see you in the sunshine. Where is that smoke you spake of?"
"Yonder, to your left where you sit."
"Thankee. Methinks that's where the hermit, whereof Janji told me, can be found."
"Then rise and march, Master Kerin!"
"I'm spent from that all-night row. Let me sit quietly, will you?"
"Master Kerin!" she squeaked. "The day waxes hotter, and you lack food and shelter. We are much nearer the equator of your world than we were in Vindium. The sooner you seek those of your kind, the better your chances. Up!"
"You remind me of a onetime schoolteacher of mine," grumbled Kerin.
"I do but do my duty, to save you whole for Adeliza. So on your feet!"
"This talk of Adeliza begins to make death seem like a welcome relief." With a grunt, Kerin heaved himself up. As he lifted his sword and bag from the boat, Belinka said:
"Master Kerin, this sun is too bright for the likes of you. You must don more garments, lest you incur a fearful sunburn."
Kerin, clad in his trews and the loincloth beneath them, growled: "I suppose you are right, curse it!" He fumbled for a shirt."You will need hat and shoon, too," Belinka persisted.
"I have no hat; only that little cap. And it's easier to walk in sand with bare feet."
She started to argue further; but defiantly Kerin slung his sword and bag over his shoulders and set out along the beach.
As Kerin trudged, gulls flew screeching up from the beach ahead, while giant crabs rustled out of the way. Some defensively raised gaping chelae. Belinka asked:
"Master Kerin, would this isle harbor dangerous beasts?"
Kerin shrugged beneath the weight on his shoulders. "Unlikely, unless the island be larger than I think."
"Well," said the tiny voice from above, "something lies upon the beach ahead, which looks formidable. It is one of those crawly things you Prime Planers call lizards, but large."
"Oh, oh," said Kerin. "That sounds like one of those dragons of the Marshes of Moru, whereof my brother has told me. I must not blunder into it unawares!"
Kerin dropped his bag, drew his sword, and stole ahead. When the curve of the beach afforded him a view, he saw a long, slate-gray shape sprawled out upon the sand. He said:
"It looks to be either dead or asleep. Couldst go closer and tell me what you see?"
The sprite flitted away and returned to report: "Its ribs move with breathing. You must go no closer!"
Kerin grunted. "I'll not wait all day for the creature to digest its previous meal, ere it awaken and go
III
The Isle of Kinungung
The sun was well up when the Dragonet 's boat approached the pale-buff beach of Kinungung, backed by slanting palms with fronds like gigantic emerald feathers. Kerin's blistered hands were bandaged with strips of cloth from the hem of an extra shirt. Craning shoreward, he said:
"Belinka, methinks there's enough surf to run in on an incoming wave. Keep me headed exactly shoreward. If the boat slews, the wave could roll us over."
"Aye, aye, Master Kerin. A little more on your right oar!"
As the waves grew steeper with shoaling, Kerin took easy strokes. When a big one towered greenly over the stern, he dug in his oars, heedless of the pain of his blisters, and sent the boat shooting shoreward. Up and up went the stern as the craft gathered speed.
"More on your left!" squeaked Belinka, dancing above the after thwart.
The wave curled and broke, hurling foam and spray into the boat. The broken crest raced by on either side; and the bow of the vessel crunched on the ivory sand.
Kerin threw himself out in knee-deep water and seized the bow to keep the boat from being carried away by the backwash. When the water had fallen to ankle depth, he dragged the boat up the beach. The next upwash boosted the boat a few feet more, and Kerin wrestled the craft to above high-tide mark. As he hauled, huge yellow crabs, with bodies the size of a human head, scuttled away.
Sitting down to catch his breath, Kerin called: "Belinka!"
"Here, Master Kerin!"
"It's hard to see you in the sunshine. Where is that smoke you spake of?"
"Yonder, to your left where you sit."
"Thankee. Methinks that's where the hermit, whereof Janji told me, can be found."
"Then rise and march, Master Kerin!"
"I'm spent from that all-night row. Let me sit quietly, will you?"
"Master Kerin!" she squeaked. "The day waxes hotter, and you lack food and shelter. We are much nearer the equator of your world than we were in Vindium. The sooner you seek those of your kind, the better your chances. Up!"
"You remind me of a onetime schoolteacher of mine," grumbled Kerin.
"I do but do my duty, to save you whole for Adeliza. So on your feet!"
"This talk of Adeliza begins to make death seem like a welcome relief." With a grunt, Kerin heaved himself up. As he lifted his sword and bag from the boat, Belinka said:
"Master Kerin, this sun is too bright for the likes of you. You must don more garments, lest you incur a fearful sunburn."
Kerin, clad in his trews and the loincloth beneath them, growled: "I suppose you are right, curse it!" He fumbled for a shirt."You will need hat and shoon, too," Belinka persisted.
"I have no hat; only that little cap. And it's easier to walk in sand with bare feet."
She started to argue further; but defiantly Kerin slung his sword and bag over his shoulders and set out along the beach.
As Kerin trudged, gulls flew screeching up from the beach ahead, while giant crabs rustled out of the way. Some defensively raised gaping chelae. Belinka asked:
"Master Kerin, would this isle harbor dangerous beasts?"
Kerin shrugged beneath the weight on his shoulders. "Unlikely, unless the island be larger than I think."
"Well," said the tiny voice from above, "something lies upon the beach ahead, which looks formidable. It is one of those crawly things you Prime Planers call lizards, but large."
"Oh, oh," said Kerin. "That sounds like one of those dragons of the Marshes of Moru, whereof my brother has told me. I must not blunder into it unawares!"
Kerin dropped his bag, drew his sword, and stole ahead. When the curve of the beach afforded him a view, he saw a long, slate-gray shape sprawled out upon the sand. He said:
"It looks to be either dead or asleep. Couldst go closer and tell me what you see?"
The sprite flitted away and returned to report: "Its ribs move with breathing. You must go no closer!"
Kerin grunted. "I'll not wait all day for the creature to digest its previous meal, ere it awaken and go
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