Part 11 (1/2)
Suddenly a sharp voice sheared through the cla on? Who are they? I told you to fetch them toa lightthe rails A blazing red cloth ound around his head A badly-healed scar fro, narrow face
”It is Conan, Captain!” cried old Artus, the shi+pmaster ”Our old admiral has returned!”
The captain's close-set eyes narrowed as his own sight sought confirht blazed in those eyes as he picked out the bronzed form of the Cimmerian He opened his lad to see me, Yanak? Re spoils that belonged to all? How have you ed to trick your way to a captaincy? Ill days must have dawned for the Brotherhood!”
With his , Yanak spat back: ”For that, barbarian, I will have you hung by the heels and roasted over the shi+p's fire! I aive the orders here!”
”That may be,” retorted Conan ”But I aly around, and nobody chose to deny his assertion ”I claiht of any ht the captain of a shi+p for the captaincy in a captain's duel”
He tossed up the dagger he had borrowed froain
It was a forhteen,-inch blade, but still no sword He and Rolf had cast aside their swords in order to swier was the only weapon they had between them
The crew murmured, for all knew that in such a duel Conan would have to fight hatever weapon he had with him at the time, while Yanak could choose eapons he pleased Yanak's are
”This is madness, Conan!” Arms plucked the Cimmerian's elbow ”Yanak will cut you to pieces I have seen hi drunkards at the time and lay them low We'll depose him instead and choose you for captain All your old followers are on your side”
Conan shook his head and rumbled: ”Half the crew don't know me and would oppose such a th would be weakened No, it must be done the traditional way”
Several creere already clearing a space around the leeful sth of a keen, straight sword It was a weapon forged by ablade and sharply honed edges, tapering to a needle point
Conan gripped his dagger firmly and strode towards the mast A wide circle six yards in diameter was already drawn in charcoal on the deck around the onists were to fight inside the circle Any trick was allowed The fight would be to the death, or until one of the duelists was so badly hurt he could not go on In that case he would sihters stepped out of the circle, the onlookers would at once thrust him back in
The instant Conan entered the circle, Yanak bounded forward, cleaving the air with a whistling stroke But the barbarian was too old a hand to be surprised He leaped sideways, and Yanak was saved fro his body aside at the last h he was clearly at an advantage The longer reach of his weapon almost matched him evenly with Oman's brawn and stature Now and then he , but the silent Cimmerian parried or evaded the bloith effortless ease and continued to circle around the nored the pirate captain's taunts and exhortations to stand and fight
Then Yanak tried a trick Conan and he were temporarily on the sa hty leap, at the sa doard at the Ciered his lightning-fast responses Instead of retreating, he sprang forward Yanak's blade whistled harmlessly down behind the barbarian's back as Conan buried his knife to the hilt in his foe's abdoht mail links with the immense force of his thrust The pirate fell to the deck, cursing and gagging on blood His sword fell with a clank Conan stooped and lifted hi the corpse over the heads of the crew into the sea Picking up the fallen sword, he swept their ranks with a cold gaze
”Noho is captain, my lads?”
The shouts of ”Conan!” would have satisfied any doubter Conan drank in the heady satisfaction of his neon power Then his thunderous voice bellowed them to silence
”To die sails and oars, lubbers! A erd himself hot on my trail But ill lead him a merry chase, by Crom!”
Taken aback by the announcement that their archenemy was abroad, the crew's idolatrous confidence in Conan was yet so strong as to wash away all ht and tricked his way out of seely i the rest of the crew
Conan sprang to the bridge in one : ”Set sail!
Course southeast!”
Men hauled at lines, voicing lusty sea songs Yellow canvas spread before the breeze The pirate at the hel the slim vessel about She fled eastward before the wind, fleet as the deer of the moorlands
”So you think I'erd thinks so too!”