Free Tower of Zanid by L. Sprague de Camp Page B

for the nearest exit from the Square of Qarar.
    “ Au! ” shrieked the driver. “Come back with my wagon!”
    The driver ran up alongside the wagon and began to swing himself aboard. Fallon hit him a sharp rap over the head with the butt of the whip, at which he fell back upon the cobbles. A glance to the rear showed Fallon that several others were trying to climb up also, but Fredro got rid of one by kicking him in the face while Wagner stamped on the fingers of another as he grasped one of the hand-holds. Fallon leaned forward and snapped his whip against the bare hide of yet another, who was trying to seize the bridle of one of the animals. With a howl, the Krishnan hopped away to nurse his welt.
    Fallon urged the shaihans to greater speed as the wagon rumbled into the nearest street. It seemed to Fallon that half the people of Zanid must be chasing his vehicle. But with the water-tank three-quarters empty, the team made good speed, sending chance pedestrians leaping for safety.
    “Where—where are we going?” asked Gazi.
    “Away from that mob,” growled Fallon, jerking his thumb back toward the horde. “Hold on!”
    He pulled the team into a tight turn around a corner, so that the wagon rocked and skidded perilously. Then he did another, and another, zigzagging until, despite his own familiarity with the city, he was a bit confused himself as to where he was. A few more turns and the mob seemed to have been left behind, so he let the team drop back to their six-legged trot. People along the street stared with interest as the water-wagon went by, bearing three Earthmen—two in their native costume and one nude, and an equally unclad Krishnan woman.
    Wagner spoke up: “Well, say, I don’t know who you are, but I’m glad you got me out of that. I guess I hadn’t ought to have stirred up these heathens so. They’re kind of excitable.”
    Fallon said: “My name’s Fallon, and these are Gazi er-Doukh and Dr. Fredro.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” said Wagner. “Say, aren’t you two gonna put your clothes back on?”
    “When we get around to it,” said Fallon.
    “It makes us kind of conspicuous,” said Wagner.
    Fallon was about to reply that nothing prevented Wagner from getting off, when the wagon rumbled into the park around the Safq. Fredro gave an exclamation.
    Wagner looked at the looming structure, and he shook a fist, crying: “If I could blow up that lair of heathen idolatry, I wouldn’t care none if I got blown up with it!”
    “What?” cried Fredro. “You crazy? Blow up priceless archeological treasure?”
    “I don’t care nothing about your atheistic science.”
    “Ignorant savage,” said Fredro.
    “Ignorant, huh?” said Wagner with heat. “Well, your so-called science don’t mean a blessed thing, mister. You see, I know the truth , so that puts me ahead of you no matter how many of them college degrees you got.”
    “Shut up, you two,” said Fallon. “ You’re making us conspicuous.”
    “I will not shut up,” said Wagner. “I bear witness to the truth, and I won’t be silenced by the ignorant tongues of…”
    “Then get off the wagon,” interrupted Fallon.
    “I will not! It ain’t your wagon neither, mister, and I got as much right on it as you.”
    Fallon caught Fredro’s eye. “ Abwerfen ihn, ja ?”
    “ Jawohl! ” said the Pole.
    “Catch,” said Fallon to Gazi, tossing her the reins.
    Then he and Fredro each caught one of Welcome Wagner’s arms. The muscular evangelist braced himself to resist, but the double attack was too much for him. A grunt and a heave, and Wagner flew off the top of the water-tank to land on his white turban in a spacious puddle of muddy water.
    Splash!
    Fallon took back the reins and speeded up the shaihans lest Wagner run after to try to clamber back aboard. He took one last look back around the water-tank. Wagner was sitting in the puddle, head bowed, and beating the brown water with his fists. He seemed to be crying.
    Fredro smiled.