peered into the gloom that lay upon the tossing sea. “We shall see,” he said. “Already we have passed the fleet.”
“But the fleet is merely the wooden wall of unwalled Knossos,” argued Snish.“There is Talos, the giant of brass, that the Cretans call the second wall. And Talos alone could break down the walls of any city, or scatter any army that ever marched.
“Even if you should pass by Talos, there is the secret that is called the wall of wizardry. It is known only to Minos and his daughter Ariadne. But its strange power is stronger than the fleet, and stronger than the giant ofbrass.”
Cold and trembling, the hand of Snish tightened on Theseus’ arm. “Now, Captain Firebrand,” he croaked hopefully, “shall we sail for Egypt?”
“We shall, small wizard.” Theseus laughed. “After we havedestroyed Minos, and broken the power of the Dark One.”
“Then”—and the teeth of Snish were chattering—“we shall never see Egypt!”
The night wore on, and the north wind continued to blow.Theseus sent Snish to the cabin to sleep, and steered the ship alone. At last, far to westward, he saw a light that burned strangely red and green.
The light was a beacon fire, he knew, kindled on a tower on the headland, to guide the ships of Crete to the harbor below Ekoros. It was colored, he had heard, with magical salts thrown into the flames.
He roused Snish to steer again, and trimmedthe sail to bear toward it. The wind was still high for such a tack.
The galley heeled dangerously, and Snish grew ill again. “We’ll never touch land alive,” gasped the little wizard. “The wind is crowding us on the rocks!” His whine became a warning shriek. “Captain—ahead!”
Theseus saw the glint of that far light upon leaping spray. He heard the thunder of wild water, and ran toward the steeringoars. But the galley plunged upon the rocks. Fangs of stone bit through the hull, water foamed into the empty oarsmen’s pit. Rigging snapped. The mast splintered, smashed down.
An instant of silence followed the crash, and: “Captain, it is the spell that follows me!” wailed Snish. “No ship that I am aboard ever comes safe to port!”
The galley listed dangerously as the wave ebbed. The next foamedover the stern, and Theseus thought that they were going to sink. But the crest lifted the ship, drove it between two great rocks.
The hull lodged there. The higher waves poured over it, and filled the pit. Loosening timbers groaned to the battering of the sea. Soon, Theseus knew, they would break apart. He peered to left of the far changing beacon, seeking the shadow of land.
Dawn presentlyrevealed the hills of Crete, dark with cypress forests, marching across the south. Theseus cut loose a broken spar, knotted hand ropes to it, and rolled it over the side. Snish protested that he feared the water and had never learned to swim. Theseus dragged him from the wreck, towed him sputtering to the floating yard. The wind drifted them shoreward.
Peering back northward, Theseus saw thesun’s rays pick out scattered black sails, tiny and distant. “The fleet!” he muttered. “Phaistro will soon be after us again.”
The squat little wizard sat uneasily astride the drifting spar, and one brown arm—which still glittered with the green jade bracelets of Tai Leng—made an apprehensive gesture toward the shore.
“Phaistro’s fleet is nothing,” he croaked. “The real danger lies ahead. ForTalos, the giant of brass, patrols the coasts of Crete.” The croak became a breathless whisper. “Captain—look!”
Far away toward Knossos, between the blue of the sea and the rising green of the hills, Theseus thought he saw a glancing flash that had the color of brass.
S EVEN
S NISH SLID fearfully off the spar into the sea. His squat brown body was shivering with cold and fear, his huge yellow eyes bulging out.
“My soul!” wheezed the little wizard. “My naked, helpless soul! Why did I let fate drive me out of
“But the fleet is merely the wooden wall of unwalled Knossos,” argued Snish.“There is Talos, the giant of brass, that the Cretans call the second wall. And Talos alone could break down the walls of any city, or scatter any army that ever marched.
“Even if you should pass by Talos, there is the secret that is called the wall of wizardry. It is known only to Minos and his daughter Ariadne. But its strange power is stronger than the fleet, and stronger than the giant ofbrass.”
Cold and trembling, the hand of Snish tightened on Theseus’ arm. “Now, Captain Firebrand,” he croaked hopefully, “shall we sail for Egypt?”
“We shall, small wizard.” Theseus laughed. “After we havedestroyed Minos, and broken the power of the Dark One.”
“Then”—and the teeth of Snish were chattering—“we shall never see Egypt!”
The night wore on, and the north wind continued to blow.Theseus sent Snish to the cabin to sleep, and steered the ship alone. At last, far to westward, he saw a light that burned strangely red and green.
The light was a beacon fire, he knew, kindled on a tower on the headland, to guide the ships of Crete to the harbor below Ekoros. It was colored, he had heard, with magical salts thrown into the flames.
He roused Snish to steer again, and trimmedthe sail to bear toward it. The wind was still high for such a tack.
The galley heeled dangerously, and Snish grew ill again. “We’ll never touch land alive,” gasped the little wizard. “The wind is crowding us on the rocks!” His whine became a warning shriek. “Captain—ahead!”
Theseus saw the glint of that far light upon leaping spray. He heard the thunder of wild water, and ran toward the steeringoars. But the galley plunged upon the rocks. Fangs of stone bit through the hull, water foamed into the empty oarsmen’s pit. Rigging snapped. The mast splintered, smashed down.
An instant of silence followed the crash, and: “Captain, it is the spell that follows me!” wailed Snish. “No ship that I am aboard ever comes safe to port!”
The galley listed dangerously as the wave ebbed. The next foamedover the stern, and Theseus thought that they were going to sink. But the crest lifted the ship, drove it between two great rocks.
The hull lodged there. The higher waves poured over it, and filled the pit. Loosening timbers groaned to the battering of the sea. Soon, Theseus knew, they would break apart. He peered to left of the far changing beacon, seeking the shadow of land.
Dawn presentlyrevealed the hills of Crete, dark with cypress forests, marching across the south. Theseus cut loose a broken spar, knotted hand ropes to it, and rolled it over the side. Snish protested that he feared the water and had never learned to swim. Theseus dragged him from the wreck, towed him sputtering to the floating yard. The wind drifted them shoreward.
Peering back northward, Theseus saw thesun’s rays pick out scattered black sails, tiny and distant. “The fleet!” he muttered. “Phaistro will soon be after us again.”
The squat little wizard sat uneasily astride the drifting spar, and one brown arm—which still glittered with the green jade bracelets of Tai Leng—made an apprehensive gesture toward the shore.
“Phaistro’s fleet is nothing,” he croaked. “The real danger lies ahead. ForTalos, the giant of brass, patrols the coasts of Crete.” The croak became a breathless whisper. “Captain—look!”
Far away toward Knossos, between the blue of the sea and the rising green of the hills, Theseus thought he saw a glancing flash that had the color of brass.
S EVEN
S NISH SLID fearfully off the spar into the sea. His squat brown body was shivering with cold and fear, his huge yellow eyes bulging out.
“My soul!” wheezed the little wizard. “My naked, helpless soul! Why did I let fate drive me out of
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