Squire's Quest Read Free Page B

luck. It so happens I was heading in that direction myself. I've been
travelin' for a couple of weeks now, and I was getting right tired of having nobody to talk with.
We can go along together and keep each other company." He sat in the straight chair and unlaced
his boots. As he toed them off, he wiggled his toes. "Now that feels good. First time I've had 'em
off in a week." He stood and removed his coat. The room was some warmer than outdoors, so
he'd be able to strip down to his longjohns. He never had liked sleeping in his britches.
    Cal made a funny noise and turned his head towards the window.
    Merlin paused with his shirt half over his head. He looked again at the boy, whose eyes
were closed. He'd gone tight again, like he was getting ready to run. His thin fingers were
clenched on the edge of the mattress and his feet were pulled back, ready to catapult him to his
feet.
    Before he'd left home, Pa had warned him of things he'd rather not even think about.
Now he recalled some of them. "It's O.K., kid. I'm not going to lay a hand on you. But I've been
sleeping in my clothes for a while and I'm plumb tired of it. You can use my bedroll, spread it on
the floor, if you choose. I'm planning on sleeping in that nice soft bed."
    Cal relaxed a little, enough to set down his little bundle and take off his coat. He averted
his face when Merlin removed his britches and stretched. His scrawny shoulders tensed again
when Merlin used the thundermug.
    It was too early to go to bed, but Merlin had made up his mind to stay in his room, even
before he'd acquired a traveling companion. His brief assessment of Eagle Rock had told him the
only place to go after supper besides the hotel lobby was the small tavern. And he wasn't ready
yet for that step.
    His pa and his uncles had told him too many tales of the troubles a man could find in
drinking establishments.
    He pulled out the one book he'd brought along. It wasn't as thrilling as he'd hoped, but
since it was all he had to read, he went at it. If only he'd been able to find a copy of his favorite
book, Tennyson's poems about King Arthur. No matter how many times he read it, it was still
new and exciting.
    "What's that?"
    Merlin sat on the other side of the bed from Cal. " Five Weeks in a Balloon .
Ever read it?"
    The boy shrugged, something he did a lot of. "I don't read much."
    Can't, I reckon. "Well, then maybe you wouldn't want me to read it out loud,
like I was planning to do."
    Another shrug. "I wouldn't mind."
    It was a hard thing to hold back his grin, but Merlin managed. He opened the book to his
marker. "'Chapter Thirteen. Change of Weather--Kennedy has the Fever--'"
    He read until he was hoarse. By then Cal had shed his shoes and crept under the
covers.
    "That's the best story I ever heard," the boy said, sleepily. "Can you read more tomorrow
night?"
    There was something caught in his throat, so Merlin just nodded.

Chapter Two
    He was almost asleep when the boy slipped out of bed. Merlin lay still, wondering if he
was going to try to get away, and not sure what he'd do if Cal managed to get the door open. The
key was on the dresser, but he might not have noticed.
    The room was dark, with the window a faint rectangle scarcely lit by a torch outside. He
listened as Cal edged his way around the bed. After a minute, he heard with relief the scrape of
the thundermug across the wood floor. He'd been a little worried he might wake up in a wet bed
when the boy had said he didn't need to use it before Merlin extinguished the candle.
    A rustle of clothing, another scrape, and then the expected sound of liquid hitting heavy
porcelain. But it didn't sound right. Slowly, carefully, Merlin turned his head. Cal was little more
than a dark shape hunched on top of a pale one, but Merlin could still see enough to make him
realize he had a bigger problem than he'd counted on. He watched as Cal stood and pulled up the
raggedy britches.
    He still couldn't see much, but Merlin had sisters. Cal was