Cugel dozed. An unknown period of time went by.
A small sound aroused Cugel to full alertness. For a moment he lay staring up into the dark; then, groping for his sword, he crawled to the opening of the tent.
The mast-head light cast a pale illumination along the deck. Cugel saw nothing unusual. No sound could be heard. What had aroused him?
For ten minutes Cugel crouched by the opening, then slowly returned to his cushion.
Cugel lay awake … The faintest of sounds reached his ears: a click, a creak, a scrape … Cugel again crawled to the opening of his tent.
The mast-head lamp cast as many shadows as puddles of light. One of the shadows moved and sidled out across the deck. It seemed to carry a parcel.
Cugel watched with an eery prickling at the back of his neck. The shadow jerked to the rail and with a most peculiar motion tossed its burden over the side. Cugel groped back into his tent for his sword, then crawled out upon the fore-deck.
He heard a scrape. The shadow had merged with other shadows, and could no longer be seen.
Cugel crouched in the dark and presently thought to hear a faint squealing sound, abruptly stilled.
The sound was not repeated.
After a time Cugel hunched back into the tent, and there kept vigil, cramped and cold … With eyes open, he slept. A maroon beam from the rising sun glinted into his open eyes, startling him into full awareness.
With groans for twinges and aches, Cugel hauled himself erect. He donned his cloak and hat, buckled the sword around his waist and limped down to the main deck.
Varmous was only just emerging from his berth when Cugel peered in through the doorway. “What do you want?” growled Varmous. “Am I not even allowed time to adjust my garments?”
Cugel said: “Last night I saw sights and I heard sounds. I fear that we may discover another disappearance.”
Varmous uttered a groan and a curse. “Who?”
“I do not know.”
Varmous pulled on his boots. “What did you see and what did you hear?”
“I saw a shadow. It threw a parcel into the thicket. I heard a clicking sound, and then the scrape of a door. Later I heard a cry.”
Varmous donned his rough cape, then pulled the flat broad-brimmed hat down over his golden curls. He limped out on deck. “I suppose that first of all we should count noses.”
“All in good time,” said Cugel. “First let us look into the parcel, which may tell us much or nothing.”
“As you wish.” The two descended to the ground. “Now then: where is the thicket?”
“Over here, behind the hull. If I had not been witness, we would never have known.”
They circled the ship and Cugel clambered into the black fronds of the thicket. Almost at once he discovered the parcel and gingerly pulled it out into the open. The two stood looking down at the object, which was wrapped in soft blue fabric. Cugel touched it with his toe. “Do you recognize the stuff?”
“Yes. It is the cloak favored by Perruquil.”
They looked down at the parcel in silence. Cugel said: “We now can guess the identity of the missing person.”
Varmous grunted. “Open the parcel.”
“You may do so if you like,” said Cugel.
“Come now, Cugel!” protested Varmous. “You know that my legs cause me pain when I stoop!”
Cugel grimaced. Crouching, he twitched at the binding. The folds of the cloak fell back, to reveal two bundles of human bones, cleverly interlocked to occupy a minimum volume. “Amazing!” whispered Varmous. “Here is either magic or sheer paradox! How else can skull and pelvis be interlocked in such intricate fashion?”
Cugel was somewhat more critical. “The arrangement is not altogether elegant. Notice: Ivanello’s skull is nested into Ermaulde’s pelvis; similarly with Ermaulde’s skull and Ivanello’s pelvis. Ivanello especially would be annoyed by the carelessness.”
Varmous muttered: “Now we know the worst. We must take action.”
With one accord the two looked up to the hull of the ship. At the port-hole giving into the aft cabin there was movement as the hanging was drawn aside, and for an instant a luminous eye looked down at them. Then the curtain dropped and all was as before.
Varmous and Cugel returned around the ship. Varmous spoke in a heavy voice. “You, as master of the Avventura, will wish to lead the decisive action. I will of course cooperate in every respect.”
Cugel pondered. “First we must remove the passengers from the ship. Then you must bring up a squad of armed men and lead them to the door, where you will issue an ultimatum. I will stand steadfast nearby, and —”
Varmous held up his hand. “By reason of sore legs I cannot issue such an ultimatum.”
“Well then, what do you suggest?”
Varmous considered a moment or two, then proposed a plan which required, in essence, that Cugel, using the full authority of his rank, should advance upon the door and, if need be, force an entrance — a plan which Cugel rejected for technical reasons.
At last the two formulated a program which both considered feasible. Cugel went to order the ship’s passengers to the ground. As he had expected, Perruquil was not among their number.
Varmous assembled and instructed his crew. Shilko, armed with a sword, was posted as guard before the door, while Cugel mounted to the after-deck. A pair of trained carpenters climbed upon tables and boarded over the portholes, while others nailed planks across the door, barring egress.
From the lake buckets of water were transferred along a human chain and passed up to the afterdeck, where the water was poured into the cabin through a vent.
