Foster, Dean - Spellsinger 04 - The Moment Of The Magician

mean. I appreciate the offer, but Mudge and I

managed to make it down here by ourselves, and we

can make it home the same way." He looked around

wildly for support.

A head appeared. "More company the better, mate,"

declared a thoroughly sozzled Mudge.

THE MQMBWT Of THB MACUCSAH

311

Weaving, drunken oUers gathered around the dis-

traught spellsinger, cheering and waving their swords

about with complete disregard for the bodily integri-

ty of their neighbors.

"Aye, mate.. .We're with you all the bayway!.. .Glad

to come along!.. .Three cheers for the spullspung-

er...!"

Jon-Tom dodged a sword stroke that came perilously

near taking a chunk out of his thigh. He found

himself being backed toward the otters' boat, which

the police had thoughtfully tied up at the end of

the pier.

Mudge lurched along in front, one arm around

Quorly, the other around Sasswise. "It'll be fun,

mate, to 'ave a little good company goin' 'ome. Besides.

I'd like for me friends 'ere to meet Clothagrump."

He leaned over to whisper to Quorly. "This 'ere wizbiz

'as got 'imself an apprentice name o' Sorbl who can

conjure up the best damn batch o' 'omemade 'ootch

I you never tasted, luv. Burn the linin' right out o'

your bloomin' throat."

Quorly pressed tight against him. "Sounds wonder-

ful. Mudgey."

"No, no," Jon-Tom told them, pleading desperately,

| "you don't understand. Clothahump is a very serious,

sober-minded sorcerer. It's important that he see me

in the same light or he won't send me home someday."

"Then we'll get along fine, Jon-Tome... Tom," said

Wupp happily, "because we're damn sure serious

about not stayin' sober."

Paws reached forward and lifted the protesting

spellsinger, carried him down into the boat. Hands

bent to oars, and after some initial confusion, the

boat began to slide out onto the Lake of Sorrowful

Pearls. Drortch launched into a spirited if slightly

sloppy rendition of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat!" The

melody was quickly taken up by her companions and

312 Alan Dean Foster

the boat was soon producing enough noise to attract I

every water-going predator between Quasequa and i

the river Tailaroam. E

jon-Tom lay in the bottom of the boat and won-

dered if maybe Markus the Ineluctable hadn't been

the lucky one.