Coming up alongside of Trasone, Tealdosaid, “I hope those Unkerlanters don’t break out of there and kick us in thearse when we’re looking the other way.”

“Aye, I can think of things I’d likebetter,” Trasone agreed. He pointed ahead toward a tangled wood of oaks andelms. “I can think of things I like better than heading through that, too.Powers above only know what the Unkerlanters have got lurking in there.”

Several unpleasant possibilities crossedTealdo’s mind. Evidently, they crossed Galafrone’s mind, too, for the captainordered a halt. Now he looked unhappy. “They could have a whole regiment inamong those trees,” he said. “I don’t care to bypass them, not even a little Idon’t.” His face grew longer still. “Maybe that cursed lieutenant wasn’t asstupid as I thought.”

Now Tealdo did see him have trouble makingup his mind. Before he could give any orders, a man emerged from the woods.Tealdo threw himself flat and had his stick aimed, ready to send a beam at thefellow, before noticing he wore tunic and kilt of light brown--Algarvianuniform--not an Unkerlanter’s rock-gray long tunic.

“It’s all right,” the soldier called inAlgarvian with a northwestern accent much like Tealdo’s. “They threw us out ofhere day before yesterday, but not for long. A few of the whoresons may stillbe running around loose off the paths, but you shouldn’t have any troublegetting through.”

“That sounds good enough,” Galafrone said.He waved his company forward. “Let’s go! The sooner we’re through, the soonerwe can hit the Unkerlanters another lick.”