Yoseh was very conscious of his youth, of his inexperience, of the unfadednewness of the manhood tattoos upon his face, and of the lance across his lap.

Medjhah assured him that the self-consciousness would pass, that none of thesecity veydeen even noticed.

Yoseh knew that. But knowing with the head and knowing with the heart could beseparated by the journey of the hundred nights.

Someone shouted. Yoseh saw the children rush to the side of the street. Adults followed after more shouts. The children seemed distressed.

Nogah yelled. He begun swinging the butt of his lance, urging his horsethrough the press. Yoseh did not understand. He had difficulties with thecants and dialects of Qushmarrah. But something was happening that Nogahconsidered to be within their venue. He kicked his mount. The camel promptlytried to take a bite out of the nearest citizen.

The crowd was thickest around the mouth of an alley about four feet wide. Thechildren clustered and raised a repetitive wailing chant that sounded like,

"Bedija ghal Bedija gha!"

Nogah shouted at Faruk. Faruk sounded the horn that would summon any Dartar orferrenghi troops within hearing. The crowd began to thin immediately. Nogahsaid, "Yoseh, Medjhah, Kosuth, go in there after them. The rest of us will tryto get around and cut them off. You. Boy. Hold these animals."

The Dartars dismounted in a clatter. Still baffled, Yoseh followed his brotherand cousin into the dark, dank, stinking alleyway. His lance was unwieldy inthat narrow passage.

Fifty feet in they heard a cry. It sounded like an echoing call for help.

Twenty feet onward the alley split at right angles. They paused, listened.

Medjhah shrugged, said, "This way," and turned to his right.

Ten steps. That cry again, from behind. The Dartars turned and ran the otherdirection, Yoseh now in the lead and more bewildered than ever. He kept hislancehead extended before him.