"Go teach granny to suck eggs, Kid. Just shove the little bastard in the wagon, then get your ass back through that door."

"Shit. I think I forgot to wedge it open."

"I'd call you a dumb shit but you keep ragging me about stating the obvious. Unh!" He swung his end of the litter into the bed of the wagon. Good boy Sleepy had remembered to leave the tailgate down, exactly as he had been instructed. "I remembered for you."

"You were the last one out anyway." Damn, would I be glad when Goblin came back and One-Eye could get back to feuding with him. I shoved my end of the litter.

One-Eye was scrambling up to the driver's seat already. "Don't forget to get that gate up."

I twisted Smoke's shoulders so his mouth would drain, raised the tailgate and dropped the oak pins into their slots. "You check on him as soon as you're clear."

"Shut up and get out of here."

Whistles were shrieking all around us now. Sounded like every watchman on duty was closing in.

Their interest was going to attract that of others. I ran for the postern door. Steel tires began to rattle on cobblestones behind me.

One-Eye was going to get a chance to test our cover story.

3

It is a long trail from that postern to the apartment I call home. On the way I stopped by Croaker's cell to let him know what had happened while we were getting Smoke out of the house. He asked, "You see anything besides the Shadar?"

"No. But the uproar is going to attract attention. If they hear that One-Eye was involved people interested in us will start poking around. They'll be sure something was going on even if One-Eye sells his story to the watchmen."