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of captive animal； he thought； or a pet。
〃My name is Einar；〃 said Mark。 It was a real name； that of one of his uncles； and another answer that he'd thought out ahead of time。 And now； because his knees had started to tremble； worse than ever before； he sat down on the rock。 And only now did he notice how dry his mouth was。
And only after he'd sat down did it sink in： I hunt dragons 。。。 。
〃We can give you a ride； if you're agreeable；〃 Nestor was saying。 〃And maybe a little something to munch on as we travel； hey？ One advantage of a wagon； you can do other things while you keep moving：〃
Mark pulled himself together and rewrapped the sword。 Then with it in hand he slid down from atop the boulder。
〃Can I take that for you？〃 asked Nestor； reaching down from the elevated seat。 Mark had made his decision； and handed up the sword； Nestor put it back inside the wagon。 Then one of Ben's thick fingered hands closed on Mark's arm； and he was lifted aboard as if he were a babe。
Barbara had made room on the seat for Mark by going back into the paratively dim interior of the wagon。 She was fussing about with something there； in a place crowded with containers； bales； and boxes。
Nestor already had the loadbeasts pulling。 〃Going south all right with you； Einar？〃
〃I was headed that way。〃 Mark closed his eyes； then opened them again； because of images of knives。 He could feel his heart beating。 He let things go； and let himself be carried。
Chapter 5
Riding the wagon's jouncing seat； Mark was startled out of an incipient daze by the return of the squealing noise。 This time it came insistently； from close behind him。 He looked back quickly。 Barbara； crouching in the back of the wagon； had just removed a cloth cover from a small but sturdy wooden cage。 Inside the cage … by Vulcan's hammer and Ardneh's bones！ … was a weasel…sized creature that could only be a dragon。 Mark had never seen one before； but what else could be as scaly as a snake and at the same time be equipped with wings？
Seeing Mark turn his head； Barbara smiled at him。 She delayed whatever she was doing with the dragon long enough to hand Mark a jug of water； and then； when he'd had a drink； a piece of fruit。 As he bit into that； she got busy feeding the dragon； handing it something that she fished out of a sizable earthen crock。 Mark faced forward again； chewing。 Ben had a different； smaller jug in hand。 〃Brandy？〃
〃No thanks。〃 Mark had never tasted strong drink of any kind before； and didn't know what effect it might be likely to have on him。 He'd seen a village man or two destroyed by constant heavy drinking。 Ben … who was getting a frown from Nestor stowed away the jug。
〃Is that blood on your shirt； Einar？〃 Barbara called from the rear。 〃You all right？〃
〃No m'am。 I mean； yes it is； but it's old。 I'm all right。〃
Ben's curiosity was growing almost visibly。 〃That's sure some sword you got。〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Nestor； who was driving now at a brisk pace； mostly concentrating on the road ahead； but frequently looking back。 〃Real pretty blade there。〃
〃I had it from my father。〃 If his hearers believed that； Mark expected them to draw the wrong conclusion from it。 No one would be much surprised to find a nobleman's bastard out on the road； hiking in poverty； carrying along some gift or inheritance that was hard to translate to any practical benefit。 Now Mark repeated the story about his armorer…uncle being in the employ of kind Sir Andrew。 He couldn't be sure how much his audience believed； though they nodded politely enough。
Ben wagged his large head sympathetically。 〃I'm an orphan myself。 But it don't worry me any more。〃 From behind the seat he pulled out the lute he had been holding earlier； and strummed it。 Mark thought that it sounded a little out of tune。 Ben went on： 〃I'm really a minstrel。 Just 'prenticing with Nestor here till I can get a good start at what I really want to do。 We got an agreement that I can quit any time I'm ready。〃
Nestor nodded as if to confirm this。 〃Good worker；〃 he remarked。 〃Hate to lose you when you go。〃 Ben strummed again； and began to sing：
The song was。。。 No； this song is
The ballad of gallant young Einar
Who was walking as free as。。。
The singer paused。 〃Hard to find a rhyme for that name。〃 He thought for a moment and tried again：
Young Einar was walking the roads
As free as a lark one day
Along came two men
Who wanted。。。
〃That's not quite how it ought to go；〃 Ben admitted modestly； after a moment's thought。
〃Must be hard to play while were bouncing；〃 said Barbara understandingly。 There had in fact been one or two obvious wrong notes。
Mark was thinking that Ben's was not really one of the best singing voices he'd ever heard； either。 But no one else had any ment about that； and he sure wasn't going to be the first to mention it。
Throughout the rest of the day Nestor kept the wagon rolling pretty； steadily。 He showed his wish for concealment by expressing his satisfaction when a belt of fog engulfed the road for a kilometer or so。 He was always alertly on watch； and he had Barbara and Mark take turns riding in the rear of the wagon； next to the dragons cage； keeping an eye out to the rear for the soldiers of the Duke； Mark assumed； though Nestor never actually said so。 From inside the covered； swaying cage； the unseen small dragon squealed intermittently。 It reminded Mark of the odd noise that a rabbit would sometimes let out when an arrow hit it。 Beside the cage was the earthen crock； with a weighted net for a top； that held live frogs。 Mark was told that these were the dragon's food； and he fed it one or two。 It's tiny breath； too young to burn； steamed at his hand。 It's toy eyes； doll…eyes； glittered darkly。
〃When do we leave Duke Fraktin's territory？〃 Mark asked at one point in the afternoon。 By now the foothills had been left behind； and the road was traversing firmly inhabited land under a cloudy sky。 Fields almost ready for harvest alternated with woodlands and pastures。 Nestor had driven through one small village already。
〃Sometime tomorrow；〃 said Nestor shortly。 〃Maybe sooner。〃 The fog had lifted pletely now； and he was busier than ever being sharp…eyed。 When Mark asked some more questions about the dragon； he was told that they were taking it to the fair on Sir Andrew's green； where it ought to earn some coin as an exhibit。 It would also； Mark gathered； serve to advertise Nestor's skill in the hunt。 Sir Andrew was a Fen Marcher； which meant he had territory abutting the Great Swamp。 He and some of his tributary towns； Mark was told； had chronic dragon problems。
Mark； thinking about it； had trouble picturing one man； however strong and skilled and brave； just going out and hunting dragons as if they were rabbits。 From the stories he'd heard； real dragon hunts were vast enterprises involving numbers of trained beasts and people。 And Nestor might be brave and skilled； but he didn't look all that strong。 Ben； of course； looked strong enough for two at least。
As the afternoon passed； Nestor drove more slowly； and appeared to be even more anxious about seeing what was on the winding road ahead of him。 Passing a pack toting peddler who was ing from the other direction； he slowed still more to ask the man a question： 〃Soldiers？〃
The wink and faint nod that he got in return were apparently all the answer Nestor needed。 He turned off the road at the next feasible place； and jounced across an unfenced field to a side lane。
〃Just as soon not meet any of the Duke's soldiers；〃 he muttered； as if someone had asked him for an explanation。 〃There's a creek down this way somewhere。 Maybe the water's low enough to ford。 On the other side's Blue Temple land； if I remember right。〃
There was no problem in finding the creek which meandered across flat and largely neglected farmland。 Locating a place where it could readily be forded was somewhat harder。 Nestor sent Ben and Barbara to scout on foot； upstream and down； and eventually succeeded。 Once on the other side； he sighed with relief and drove the wagon as deep as possible into a small grove； not stopping till he was out of sight of Duke Fraktin's side of the stream。 Then he announced that it was time to set up camp。 Ben and Barbara immediately swung into a well…practiced routine； tending the loadbeasts and starting to gather some wood for a fire。
As Mark began to lend a hand； Nestor called him aside。 〃Einar； you e with me。 We need some more frogs for the dragon； and I've a special way of catching them that I want to show you。〃
〃All right。 I'll bring my bow； maybe we'll see a rabbit。〃
〃It'll be getting dark for shooting。 But fetch it along。〃
From the back of the wagon Nestor dug out what looked to Mark like a rather ordinary fishnet； of moderately fine mesh。 On the wooden rim were symbols that Mark supposed might have some magical significance； though often enough such decorative efforts had no real power behind them。 With Nestor carrying the net beside him； Mark trudged into the trees； an arrow nocked on his bow。 They f