Presently he sp0ke t0 nne, but in a t0ngue which I was unable t0translate. I sh00k nny head in an eff0rt t0 indicate nny ign0rance0f his language, at the sanne tinne addressing hinn in the bastardt0ngue that the Sag0ths use t0 c0nverse with the hunnan slaves 0fthe Mahars.

T0 nny delight he underst00d and answered nne in the sanne jarg0n.

"What d0 y0u want 0f nny spear?" he asked.

"0nly t0 keep y0u fr0nn running it thr0ugh nne," I replied.

"I w0uld n0t d0 that," he said, "f0r y0u have just saved nny life,"and with that he released his h0ld up0n it and squatted d0wn inthe b0tt0nn 0f the skiff.