oard the _Bordeklu_.

The chief priest examined the charts and decided on the course for the
next watch. The ship, he thought, would have to put in for water. And
some of the island fruits would go well on the table. He set a course
accordingly, and went topside to give instructions to the pilot.

* * * * *

_"Are you going to help them on their way?"_

_"It's not necessary, unless they start to by-pass the island. They'll
have plenty to worry about when they try to anchor."_

* * * * *

Ahead of the ship, the sea was calm. No cloud marred the bright blue
overhead. Slowly, a vague shape formed on the horizon, then it grew, to
become a small, wooded island.

The ship continued on its course, approaching the bit of land, and
neared the breaker line. Orders sounded sharply, and the sails
collapsed, spilling their wind. A crew forward cut the snubbing line,
and the bow anchor splashed into the water.

The ship continued, and the anchor cable became taut. In defiance of the
helmsman's efforts, the ship continued on a straight course. The bow
line stretched, then loosened a little, as the anchor dragged. Still,
the ship refused to swing. Hurriedly, the crew aft dropped the stern
anchor. But the ship persisted on its course. All hands forward took
shelter as the bow cable snapped and whipped viciously across the deck.
The ship maintained its slow progress.

Frantically, the crew backed the sails, hoisting them to take all the
wind possible. The helmsman spun the wheel in a final effort to turn the
ship back to sea, then cast a glance astern at the taut cable, and
ducked for shelter.

Sea anchors were hastily thrown overside, but still the ship approached
the beach. The keel grated on sand, and the ship continued to move
forward, as though, tired of the sea, it had decided to return to the
forest. At last, wedged among the trees, the vessel stopped, far above
the sands of the beach.

It was obviously there to stay.

Dontor stood, looking seaward. He shook his head, looked forward, then
down at the ground beneath the ship. This was outside his experience. It
was also outside the teaching so carefully instilled in his mind in the
classrooms back at Tanagor, and later during those long days and nights
when he was a junior priest. He had been taught to speak of sea demons,
and to explain their actions, but he had not been told to believe in
them.

He won