"DOWN THERE," SAID THE HAIRY MAN, pointing to a hole from which came up a smell afronting to a countryman, though Airar had not imagined the boat so neat a-decks or so compact below; she was of the type called iulia.  There was a passage with a door that stood open and a table visible beyond it by the light through a small window at the stern.  Airar entered to find himself, as now fully expected, facing Rudr the free-fisher, who got up from a bench, touched hands, and motioned to a seat opposite.

"Make yourself welcome, master clerk," said he, but Airar:

"Prisoners are welcome always, it's said, to the captor."

A movement crossed the face of the master-fisher, anger or what one could say not.  "You just call it prisoner if you like, but you'll come round to see how we saved life.  They Mariupol coggers, they have their mouths open all the time like carp, and the'll just learn (whuff) how a man can't do that with old Count hearing.  Unreasonable he's called and unreasonable is, but not silly.  That's why I'll have none of this misborn rising, nor let you neither  (Gruff.)"

"My deepest gratitude," said Airar, doing his best to make the tone ironic.  "It is much to do for a stranger."

Rudr's eyes rolled to a point over Aires head, he stepped to the door, and in a voice of remarkable volume shouted, "Tholing!  Powry!  Sweeps and up anchor!"  The remainder of the conversation was punctuated with rhythmic thumps and Airar could feel the vessel moving; Rudr sat down and said:

"We free-fishers say that to blow on one, wind must blow on all.  (Mmf.)  Aye....  Fair enough, we want somewhat from you; that is, dealing with the sea-demons that plague us.  Doctor Meliboë, he's been our man for that, but not so like to be trusted now after what you do say two nights gone and this Mariupol rising.  (Puff.)  You just do this for us, and will lose nought by 't direct besides being clear of this forebe-damned rising.  There's the thing, straight out as with free-fishers ever.  What say you?"

The thought coursed through Airar's mind that this free-fisher had been something less than straight out when he gave quite another reason for not joining the revolt the other night.  He said:

"Why, I say shame on any that can see the Wingèd Wolf up with the blades below and not have a part."

"(Whuff.)  Aye, a deal to say.  We have young men like you in our islands, that will fish for the whale-fish in wind and ice, and then I must tell their dandy-girls they're drownded.  Have you a dandy-girl to yourself-ward?"