“But if we pass them all by, they’llharass us from behind,” the lieutenant said. Then he noticed that Galafrone,while wearing a captains badges, had none that proclaimed him a noble. Theyoung officer’s lip curled. “I don’t suppose commoners can be expected to havethe spirit to understand such things.”

Galafrone knocked him down. When hestarted to get up, the veteran knocked him down again, and kicked him for goodmeasure. “I don’t suppose they teach juniors to respect their superior officersthese days,” he remarked in conversational tones. “But you’ve just learned thatlesson, haven’t you?”

“Sir?” the lieutenant wheezed, and then, “Aye,sir.” When he got up again, Galafrone let him. He took a deep breath beforeresuming, “Sir, you may not care for my tone”--which was, Tealdo judged, apretty fair understatement--”but the question remains: how can we leave theUnkerlanters behind us?”

“They’ll wither on the vine once we passthem by,” Galafrone said. “We’ve got to knock this whole kingdom flat, notfight through it one village at a time.”

“If we don’t capture the villages, sir”--theyoung lieutenant was careful now to speak with all due military formality, butdid not back away from his own view--”how are we going to knock the kingdomflat?”

Despite the fellow’s earlier insolence,Tealdo thought it a decent question. Galafrone didn’t hesitate in answering it.Galafrone, as far as Tealdo could see, rarely hesitated about anything. “We’vegot to smash the big armies,” he said. “These little village garrisons are justnuisances, and they’ll be bigger nuisances if we let them.” He waved toindicate a path around the village. “Come on, men,” he called, raising hisvoice. “We’ve got to press on.”

“Captain,” the lieutenant said stiffly, “Imust protest, and I shall report your conduct to higher authority.”

Galafrone gave him a wave of invitation soelegant, any noble might have envied it. “Go right ahead. If you care to letpeople know your favorite way to knock down a stone wall is by ramming it withyour head, that’s your affair.” He waved again, this time getting his companymoving in the direction he judged best. The lieutenant watched them go, hishands on his hips, the picture of exasperated frustration.