The Bronze Bow - Elizabeth George Speare [12]
"This is very good," said Simon, poking at the lump of ore that lay cooling in the ashes. "No wonder you have muscles."
"Samson helps me," said Daniel, pointing toward the big man who crouched near the mouth of the cave.
Simon started. "Beard of Moses! Where did you get that giant?"
"He—escaped from a caravan," said Daniel. "We don't know where he came from."
"Hmm." With a long look at Samson, Simon turned back to the blade Daniel had put in his hand, running an expert finger along its edge. "Not bad. Not bad at all. Amalek taught you well. Do you make anything besides daggers and swords?"
Daniel hesitated. "Hooks sometimes. We don't have horses, and we're not farmers."
"I see." Simon sat down on a flat stone, his back to the curious eyes. "Are you happy here, Daniel?"
"Rosh is good to me," Daniel answered. "Nothing like old Amalek."
"You always wanted to fight the Romans, didn't you?"
"So did you," said Daniel. "Joel told me you are called Simon the Zealot. You ought to know Rosh. If you knew him, you'd join him too." A sudden hope sprang up in him. "Is that why you came today?"
Simon shook his head. "I've known about Rosh for a long time," he said. "I'm a Zealot, yes. Rosh and I work for the same end, but we don't exactly see eye to eye."
"If you really knew him—"
"Perhaps. Today I came only to find you. Amalek died a fortnight ago, Daniel. You could come back to the village if you like."
Old Amalek dead! Should he feel something—pleasure? remorse? pity? It was too far away. He had not thought about going back for a long long time.
"What about my bond?" he asked. "I had four more years to go."
"There's no one to hold you to it. He hadn't a relative to his name, nor a friend either, poor man. I doubt anyone would even remember."
Daniel tried to imagine going back. He couldn't tell whether he would like it or not.
Simon let him think for a moment. "Don't you want to see your grandmother again, and your sister?"
Daniel did not answer. He was ashamed to say that he did not want to see them, but it was true.
"They have worried about you, just as I have," said Simon. "If you go back with me you need stay only a day or two. Just to let them see you are well. It would please them."
"Rosh might need me." Daniel felt upset and resentful, as he had that day on the mountain top with Joel. What was there in the village for him but the old troubles that had ceased to bother him up here?
In the end, however, he let Simon persuade him, Simon and his own curiosity. Rosh grumbled, but there was an irresistible confidence about Simon that Rosh admired. The difficulty came from the one Daniel had not reckoned with at all. As he and Simon walked to the edge of the clearing, a vast shape rose from the mouth of the cave and moved after them. Looking back, Daniel found Samson at his heels.
"Go back, Samson," he ordered. "I go alone this time." He called Joktan, and the red-haired boy jumped to answer. "See that he gets his meals," he told the boy.
Joktan shut his lips tight, looking stubborn and scared.
"He won't touch you," Daniel urged. "Just for one day, Jok. I'll do your work for you when I get back."
Joktan agreed sullenly.
"Anyone who tries any tricks will have me to reckon with," Daniel shot back over his shoulder.
But when he and Simon started forward again the big man moved behind them.
"No!" shouted Daniel, angry now. He waved his arms. The man stared at him without expression—or was there an expression that Daniel did not want to see? "You cannot follow me," the boy said. "Wait. I'll be back." Then he turned and stamped down the trail behind Simon. At the first turn he looked back. Samson stood at the top of the trail looking down. He did not move, and Daniel raised a hand briefly to him and went on.
As they walked, Daniel