Part 12 (1/2)
She stiffened and pointed The sail had reappeared
”Look, my lord!” she cried ”Yonder is a prize for your shi+ps! A pirate! We have surprised them!”
The yedka was not the only one who spied the corsair Swift orders were shouted The crew prepared for battle, while signals were run up to warn the sister vessel to do likewise
The overseersthe rowers Stacks of arms were readied by the mast, and the shi+p's soldiery ran to their stations Archers cliroups of burly seah Conan's sharp eyes could not discern the details of these preparations, he knew that they began as soon as he let his shi+p be sighted The pirate shi+p was long since ready for battle Despite the heavy odds against the pirate crew, all trusted their barbaric captain io told fantastic tales about forenious ways the Cimmerian had turned the tables on his foes Keen blades were shaken at the distant Turanian shi+ps, while bearded o about” The sharp voice of their captain cut like steel through the din
The order was a shock to the crew Here they were, ready for the attack, with the greatest captain in the world to lead them-and what did this captain do? Prepare to run like a rabbit! Bewildered, they went halfheartedly to their chores Conan noticed their listlessness and snarled:
”Be swift, you y rascals, or I'll have your backs raw under the lash!+ Do you think I'alleys, each with twice th, on the open sea, when I have a better plan? Do not worry, lubbers, we shall have a feasting of swords, that songs will be written about Now go to it!”
Fired with new enthusias Soon the shi+p was speeding toward the inner parts of the Zhurazi Archipelago
Before putting his plan into operation, Conan conferred with the shi+p's carpenter The infore of the waters, left hio was reat number of smaller isles The strait between the two uided his shi+p
There was grialleys following astern, their oars laboring with all the power that could be wrung froerd paced the poop, arold-spired helmet He bore a round, e by his side The cruel and gloomy Turanian monarch was also a fierce and intrepid warrior, who loved to take part in a good fight in person
”See how the yellow hyenas flee!” he cried ”Will they play ga the islands, and then our oars will make them easy prey Faster!”
Meanwhile the adued his point withdoubtful, went back up to the poop He said:
”Your Majesty, these waters are unsounded We have no charts we can
trust, and the shi+pest we circle the islands and catch the corsair in open sea”
Yezdigerd's voice swept aside the esture His voice was hot with exasperation
”I told you the rascal will be an easy prey in the lee of the islands
Let the whips be plied to bring us every ounce of speed We shall snap our jaws about the pirate soon enough!”
The king seemed to have reason for his expectations The slender corsair was now barely halfway through the strait,their victined aress was slow, and the Hyrkanian shi+ps were closing in with every stroke, like hawks plu down upon a dove Rolf stood silent, with the taciturnity of the northern barbarian, but Arms pleaded with his captain:
”Captain, the Hyrkanians will reach us long before we ee! We stand no chance We cannot maneuver in this narroay, and their rashell Could we not warp her ashore with the boats? We le Tari!”
Conan, his calalleys They were indeed a forht In the lead ca up around her bow and her ten-foot bronze raer upon the wrongdoer Close behind followed her sister, only a little less iht, by Ishtar,” said Conan cal their whips with vigor A heavy shi+p, that foreht”
His voice changed its tone fros now?”
”Five fatho We have passed the throat of the shallows A wonder we did not scrape our bottom off!”
”Good! I knee should get through Now look at our pursuers!”