"Yes," she said, bitterly.
"Have no fear," I said. "I will find you something else to wear."
"Thank you," she said.
"Is there another camp about, or somewhere," I asked, "used by the brigands?"
"No," she said. "There was one, but they broke it this morning. This afternoon they surreptitiously met a fellow in the woods. He had a wagon. They sold most of their loot to him."
"Apparently they did not sell all of it to him," I said, regarding her, glancing, too, at the other bound woman, she naked in the dirt.
"No," she said. "He was not a slaver. Too, I do not think he wanted any obvious connection to be noted between himself and the brigands, such as might be furnished by handling their slaves."
"Where were you enroute?" I asked.
"I do not know," she said. "I was told only that we were being taken somewhere where we could be sold to a proper slaver."
"Besnit, Esalinus or Harfax," suggested Boots.
I shrugged. "Perhaps," I said. These towns were all within a hundred pasangs of our present location. Such women could be disposed of almost anywhere, of course. Slave markets, like slaves, are common on Gor. Given the large number of slaves on Gore it is only natural that there should be an abundance of outlets for their handling and processing.
"You apparently made camp here," I said, "several Ahn ago."
"We stopped early, I think," she said. "I think they had discovered another camp, one on which they intended to perpetrate a raid."
"That is correct," I said.
"We were left here, helplessly trussed, females, to await their return," she said.
"They will not be coming back," I said.
"I see," she said, shuddering.
"Where are the other valuables, the moneys, in the camp," I asked, "their accruals from the fellow with the wagon, or otherwise?"
"It is all there," she said, indicating it with her head, "in those packs. The gold is in a small coffer, one bound with bands of iron, one studded with silver, that closed with a heavy golden-plated lock, in the first pack."
"It is all yours," I told Boots.
"All of it?" asked Boots, incredulously.
"All of it," I said.
"Thank you!" said Boots, fervently. "It will be put to good use."
"Perhaps you could use it in support of the arts," I suggested.
"My intention exactly," admitted Boots.
"It might be used, for example," I suggested, "in support of some worthy but struggling theatrical company."
"That is a sound and brilliant suggestion," Boots congratulated me.
"Perhaps you have some company in mind," I said.
"I have just the company in mind," he said.
"Us," said Lecchio.
"A bit abruptly and crassly put," said Boots, reprovingly, to Lecchio, "but that would indeed seem to capture the gist of the matter."
"Are you grateful," I asked.
"yes," said Boots.
"Eternally, undyingly?" I asked.
"Surely," said Boots.
"There is something you can do for me," I said.
"Name it, brother," said Boots.
"I am still interested in joining your company," I said.
"Out of the question," said Boots. "Impossible."
"Come now," I said.
"Come now," said Chino.
"Come now," said Lecchio.
"Come now," said Petrucchio.
"Come, come now!" insisted Andronicus.
"My mind is made up," said Boots.
"Perhaps you could unmake it, and start in, all over again," I suggested, reaching to the multiple sheath of saddle knives slung at my hip.
Boots eyed me, closely.
"By dear Boots, do not be an ungrateful dolt," scolded the ponderous Andronicus.
"I have spoken," announced Boots, grandly.
I drew one of the blades, and turned it in my hand. "Perhaps you could speak again," I suggested.
"Never," said Boots.
"Oh?" I asked. I turned the knife again, now holding it by the handle. The point idly seemed to focus on Boots's throat.
"What could you do?" asked Boots, uneasily, watching the knife point.
I flipped the blade in my hand, holding it now again by the blade. I looked at Boots, evenly. "I do a knife throwing act," I said. "Remember?"
"And a good one, too," admitted Boots.
"Let him join the company," pressed Chino.
"Yes," urged Lecchio.
"By all means," urged Petrucchio.
"It is little enough for all he has done," said Andronicus.
"We cannot take in every stray sleen who comes whining about the wagons," said Boots. "Are we a refuge for homeless waifs, a food wagon for improvident wayfarers, a training grounds for amateurs, a nomadic inn for stage-struck aspirants, an itinerant shelter for every awed, hopeful bumpkin desirous of donning the thespic mantle, and on our stage, that of the theater's titans, of sharing our riches, tangible and intangible, our glory and largesse, that of Gor's finest theatrical aggregation? What of our professional standards? What of our reputation?"
"Urt droppings," said Chino.
"Urt droppings?" inquired Boots.
"Yes," said Chino.
"Perhaps you are ready to reconsider your position on this matter," I said. I flipped the knife meaningfully about. The point now, again, was looking at Boots.
"You are skillful," said Boots. "There is no doubt about it. You are not an experienced, professional actor, of course."
"That is true," I granted him. The point was now an inch or so from his neck.
"There are, of course, many other things y9ou might do, simple work, heavy work, say, unsuitable for more skilled personnel."
"True," I said.
"Perhaps you could help the monster," he mused.
"Yes," I said.
"The stage must be set up," he said, "the tents put up, and so on."
"Yes," I encouraged him.
"Do not be ungrateful, Boots," said Andronicus. "We owe him our very lives."
"And you still could," I pointed out.
Boots swallowed, hard. "I am not a stern, inflexible fellow," he said. "It is well known that I am resilient and supple, as well as complex, subtle and talented. That Boots is a broad-minded fellow, I have often heard it said. He is easy-going and tolerant, as it is said, and, indeed, perhaps sometimes too much so for his own good, as it is also said. Yes, that Boots is a good fellow, one always ready to listen to arguments, to consider carefully the claims of reason, as they say."
"I take it you are reconsidering your position," I said.
"I am taking its reconsideration under consideration," said Boots.
"Let him join the company," said Andronicus.
"I am weakening," said Boots. "The arguments of Andronicus are swaying me."
"If you do not permit him to join us," said Andronicus, "I shall resign from the company."
Boots regarded him, aghast.
"Yes," said Andronicus, firmly.
"We would be devastated!" objected Boots.
Andronicus regarded him, his arms folded adamantly.
"I am swayed," said Boots.
Swiftly I reversed the blade I held and tucked it under my arm that I not wound Publius Andronicus who, victorious, was heartily reaching for my hand. Chino, Lecchio and Petrucchio, too, moved about me, slapping me on the back and congratulating me. Lastly Boots himself seized my hand warmly. "Welcome to the company of Boots Tarsk-Bit," he said. "Remember, however, this is no ordinary troupe. In joining us you have undertaken a grave responsibility and a most serious charge. See that you struggle to live up to our high standards."
"I will try," I assured him.
"We do have a problem, however," said Boots to the others in the troupe.