So, by half past six the men in the small boats were certain the Jorum was going to continue her course.

A line joining the two was four hundred yards from the Jorum.

It was three hundred yards from the Jorum to the other side of the bay.

And now smoke was drifting away from the Jorum.

She had perhaps two hundred yards to run before she reached the Jorum.

Would the fact the Jorum hadn't fired at them make the men in the boat suspicious?

The Jorum was now steering north parallel with the coast and making better than six knots.

Is that why he beached the Jorum just down there?'

Nor was there a second broadside from the Jorum.

I was just telling myself that you and Father Jorum feel the same way."

You make a good jorum of that and tell her I hope it'll do the trick.'

But, he warned himself, the minutes it took that privateer to reach the Jorum were going to be among the most important in his life.

The Jorum lost way and began to wallow.

Astern there was a dear gap in the spit where the Jorum had burst through.

And almost directly below where he stood was the dark shape of the Jorum, like a stranded whale thrown up on a beach.

Why didn't they fire into the Jorum?

Now, vigorously brushing the lather on his face, the hours in the Jorum seemed equally remote.

A puff of smoke right aft in the Jorum as one swivel fired and a moment later he heard the report.

"Jorum, priest of the Sovereign, please come forward."

"I will not trouble you with reminders, Jorum.

If she did she'd be only a hundred yards to seaward of the Jorum; but she wouldn't.

So saying, the good fellow went to work to prepare a jorum of that fragrant beverage, and all hands tasted it with satisfaction.

A course, Father Jorum says all wizardry is evil."

"Isn't Father Jorum always saying that his god wants us to help strangers and those who cannot help themselves?"

"I'll make sure Father Jorum will be around, but I won't let him know why.

He'd been sure Joram would come by to see how they were doing.

And, while Joram shook his head, too, he said not another word.

They were gone before Joram bothered to look for them.

I wish there were some way to let Joram and the others know.

It was Joram who put him to bed for what remained of the night.

Joram shook his head as he rose and went to answer it.

Some people, like Joram, can go to just about any level while on their feet and even functioning.

Did Joram give you any idea what's to happen tonight?"

"We stand outside time, in a place not of earth," Joram said.

And if Joram said they had to fall back, they did.

He started to cross himself, but Joram caught his right wrist.

"Joram, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that.

"Oh, Joram, his father would have been so proud of him!"

"Good idea," Joram said, though he had to turn away to keep from grinning.

I know you were set against it, Joram, but he may have outguessed us all.

"Ah, but you do have to answer to them," Joram said.

Joram looked up then, aware by Sight that she was conscious.

We should be hearing from Joram on that in the next few days."

Why did Joram keep springing these things on him unexpectedly?

"In your present situation, there are no safe ways," Joram replied.

As Joram had, he put his hand to the right side of his chest.

Joram made as if to clap him on the shoulder, then thought better of it.

Joram is a very moral and ethical person, one who believes in doing the right thing at all times.

Even Joram came to agree, to his own surprise.

Joram asked, as the young Healer shifted his attention back to the king's head.