weapons into the sea, were chained to oar looms, in place of slaves
who were dead; and there remained only Dason to have a fate
apportioned.

The fight had cooled out of him, and he had thrown his arms to
the sea, and stood sullenly ready for what might befall; and to him
Tob went up with an exulting face.

"Ho, pot-mate Dason," cried he, "you made a lot of talk an
hour ago about that woman of mine, who lives with her brats on the
quay-side in Atlantis yonder. Now, I'll give you a pleasant
choice; either I'll take you along home, and tell her what you said
before the whole ship's company (that are for the most part dead
now, poor souls!), and I'll leave her to perform on your carcase as
she sees fit by way of payment; or, as the other choice, I'll deal
with you here now myself."

"I thank you for the chance," said Dason, and knelt and offered
his neck to the axe. So Tob cut off his head, sticking it
on the galley's beak as an advertisement of what had been done.
The body he threw over the side, and one of the great man-eating
birds that hovered near, picked it up and flew away with it to its
nest amongst the crags. And so we were free to get a meal of the
fruits and the fresh meats which the galley offered, whilst the
oar-slaves sent the galley rushing onwards towards the capital.

There was a wine-skin in the after-castle, and I filled a horn
and poured some out at Tob's feet in salutation. "My man," I said,
"you have shown me a fight."