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Then he glanced around thecourtyard. My condolences, Sir Henry. Did you not wipe your backsides, you poxy vermin? We can smell youfrom here! one yelled across at the pretty little frigate. Yet Hal was enchanted by them.

They held their course and, as the frigatebore down upon the nearest of them, Hal saw the crew and passengerslining the dhow's side and peering across at them. I will abstain from debauchery and fornication, Hal'stongue tripped on the word, but he recovered swiftly, and I willhonour my fellow Knights. Hal stood up and went down the rough pathtowards the shallow pool where they had bathed the previous evening. They had led the rest of the gang into the waterand were clinging to the stems of two more craft, kicking the water toa white froth behind them as they pushed out into the channel.