“So it is,” growled themerchant while extending a hand to the boy. “Sorry about the toss,lad, but I don’t take kindly to townspeople rummaging through mywagon.”

Tedi was amazed at how firm the oldman’s hands had felt. When he reached up to rub his neck, herealized that his necklace was missing. He started looking aroundfrantically when the merchant moved to him.

“No need to be looking foryour gold, lad,” he whispered. “I’ve got it here. Must have gotstuck on my ring. I’m afraid the clasp is broken, though, but I canfix that right up. You wait here and I’ll be rightback.”

Before Tedi could respond, the merchanthad climbed into the wagon and was lighting a candle. Tedi watchedhim gently lay the necklace on a table and smooth out the twounconnected ends.

“There’s some dinner left,”offered Tanya, “if you truly came to eat.”

Tedi turned towards the girl.“Actually, Arik and I got ourselves in a bit of a fix and I wascoming to tell you that we weren’t going to make it.”

“Why am I not surprised,” shequipped. “You two looked like trouble since I first laid eyes onyou this morning.”

“We are not trouble,” Tediretorted angrily. His tone softened as he delivered the message hehad come to say. “We do have to leave town, though. Arik and I aregoing north at first light to seek our fortunes.”

“You may find a different fatethan fortune if you plan on traveling alone,” the merchant saidfrom behind Tedi. Tedi twirled and the old man was standing theregrinning and holding out the repaired necklace. “The clasp is finenow, lad. As good as it was new. I see that you had broken theclasp once before and it hadn’t been properly mended. No matter,though, no one could tell it was ever broken now. It is a beautifulpiece. Where did you get it?”

Tedi reached out and took the necklace.Refastening it around his neck he answered the merchant. “I didn’tsteal it, if that’s what you mean. It was my mother’s and the onlything I have to remind me of her.”