Splitlip lived up to his reputation in the epic by cunningly outwitting the remaining Pipe Stem bent on murdering Cut Hand. The old man’s wood lore grew near unto magic as he slurred the trail of four people from the sharp eyes of the enemy. Somehow the subject of manacles never came up, but Cut rendered me full credit on the morning the two warriors attacked. Nobody asked why he left both of them to me.
Cut Hand came into his own when we left the river, boon companions now, bound for his village. The battle with the renegades was exciting enough to be told without embellishment, and this time we were heroes together. The fact the six raiders had been liberally sampling the traders’ liquor stores escaped the telling. He finished with his invitation for me to come live with the Yanube to l
