"I was afraid I'd meet Hoof. I felt like he'd be mad at me for being younger, and he'd be bigger and stronger than I was. I walked a long way, and sometimes I'd see tall men with too many legs going into rooms, but I couldn't get the doors open, and mostly I didn't try. Sometimes they'd be waiting up against the wall where I couldn't see them good because there was a cupboard or something there, and I'd be afraid to look. You're making the little circles again, Father. What is it?"

"Nothing, perhaps. Did you ever get a good look at them?"

He shook his head.

"Did they have long noses?"

"I think so."

"Large ears?"

"I don't know. I didn't ever see their faces very well, but it wasn't anybody I knew. Or I don't think so."

"I understand. Did you look at your hands, Hide?"

"At my own hands? I don't think so."

"We seldom do. Or at least I don't look at mine often. Jahlee must watch hers a great deal more. When we killed the bandits I beat a man to death with my staff."

He nodded. "I remember."

"I didn't think you'd noticed. You were shooting."

"You had to do it, Father."

"No. No, I didn't, and I didn't intend to. It was only that I struck him, several times, I think, and he fell but he kept his grip on his knife. Then he started to rise, and I was afraid-desperately afraid, Horn-"

"I'm Hide, Father."

Although I blush to record it now, I only blinked and stared at him, wondering how I could possibly have made such a foolish error. Oreb saved me, landing on the ground at a point that put the fire between Jahlee and himself. "Big wet," he croaked self-importantly. "Bird find."

"Is it much farther?" Hide asked him.

"Bird find!" he repeated.

I told Hide, "He means that it is far for us but not for him. Is there a town, Oreb, where the land meets the sea?"