“I can get there myself,” Milo said. He sounded determined, but I pointed out that the water was over his head. If he began to flounder, he’d draw unwanted attention to us both. He saw the sense in that, and soon we found ourselves carried safely through the water and deposited over the side of the Argo.
I started exploring the ship the moment my feet touched the planks. The scent of pine pitch filled my nostrils immediately, though I soon saw that the timbers had been so cunningly fitted together that the ship might have stayed watertight even without that gummy stuff to seal her cracks. I made my way to where the mast towered above the framework that let the crew brace it in place when needed or take it down when it was time to beach the ship for the night. Tilting my head back, I gazed up to where the great sail was bundled to the crossbeam. I glimpsed the long, leaf-bladed oars, piled against the Argo’s low sides, and noticed that the wooden chests where the rowers would sit had all been covered with thin cushions. My inspection was cut short when I caught sight of my brothers. Luckily for me, they were busy inspecting the leather straps that would help secure the oars between the thole pins. I retreated to the rear of the ship, where the big steering oar rested. There was still no call for the helmsman to begin his duties, so I was free to investigate the space beneath his post. A wooden platform covered a small part of the ship’s stern, making a covered storage space for gear. Someone had curtained it off with ox hides. It was too dark for me to tell what was being stored there, but it was a sheltered space where we could stay completely out of my brothers’ sight. I nearly danced for joy.
Even though I’d found a secure place for Milo and me to lie low, I continued to explore, making the Argo mine. There were plenty of people on board besides my brothers, but they also all had their own work to do and had no time to notice me. I was able to sneak from the stern to the prow and back again at least twice before I realized that Milo hadn’t moved. He stood where the slave had left him and stared at the lights onshore.
“Milo, good news,” I said softly in his ear, and proceeded to tell him about the haven I’d found for us. “We’ll be under the helmsman’s nose, but he’ll be too caught up managing the steering oar to be a threat. If we keep quiet, he’ll never suspect we’re there. Now come help me find some provisions. I should get an empty pot as well, for night-soil. I may be dressed like a boy, but I won’t be able just to lean over the rail and—”
“Well, hello!” A new voice sounded behind us, young and friendly. “What are you two staring at?” I turned around to see a boy so handsome I forgot to breathe. His thickly curled black hair had a blue sheen in the moonlight, and his eyes held flecks of silver. He wore nothing but a short sea-green kilt in the Mykenaean fashion, and though he was years away from having a grown man’s muscles, his body looked strong and striking as a young lion’s.
“Just wondering where to—what to do next, now that we’re on board this—the Argo,” I replied. I stumbled over my own words just a bit and felt my cheeks go hot and red with embarrassment. Aphrodite, Artemis, please grant he didn’t see that! Suddenly I wanted to know this boy’s name as desperately as I’d ever wanted to join the quest for the Golden Fleece. I hoped fiercely that he was going to sail with us. If he turned out to be an Iolkan slave, bound to stay behind, I’d die.
Idiot! I berated myself. Since when does a slave have the time or freedom to strike up conversations with strangers? Just look at him! He can’t be more than a couple of years older than you, so if he’s part of this voyage, there’s only one reason. Aloud I said, “My name is Glaucus and this is Milo. We’re weapons bearers, like you.”
It was a good guess. “Thank all the gods, I thought I was the only one!” he exclaimed. “Lord Pelias didn’t want any of us aboard.”
So that’s the secret, I thought, remembering how Milo and I had been rebuffed when we’d approached those other crewmen. “Why’s that?” I asked.
“I heard it’s because he meant to make the voyage as rough as possible for Prince Jason and his men, but some of the other crewmen say it’s because he didn’t want to provide supplies for more mouths than necessary. You can imagine how well my master took that news.” Even his laughter was beautiful. I hoped he wasn’t going to turn out to be like Theseus. I’d thought the king of Athens was handsome too, until he showed his ugly personality. “You tell Herakles he can’t bring me along!”
“You’re Herakles’ weapons bearer?” I must have goggled like a strangling fish.
“You sound surprised. I’m Hylas of Trachis. Where are you two from? Who d’you serve?”
It was my turn to chuckle. “Iolaus of Thebes, your master’s nephew. We’re from Calydon. He took us when he came there to hunt the boar.”
“Ah! A fine adventure.” Hylas nodded knowingly. “Herakles and I heard more than one bard sing about that heroic hunt. I wish we could have been there. Is it true what they say about Atalanta?”
“If they say that she was brave and beautiful, yes,” I replied.
Hylas sighed. “She must have been wonderful. I wish she were sailing with us tomorrow. Did you know her well?” He addressed the question to Milo, trying to draw him into our talk. It seemed that Hylas was as good-natured as Theseus had been overbearing. I was pleased, but Milo only pressed his lips together. Hylas raised one eyebrow at this chilly response. “What about you, then?” he asked me.
It was so good to be able to talk about Atalanta! Hylas listened attentively while I told him as much about my huntress friend as I could without betraying my own secret. I don’t know how long I would have stood there, jabbering away, if Milo hadn’t spoken up.
“It’s late, Glaucus. If you don’t show me that place you found for us, we won’t have time to get food and settle in.” His eyes were flinty when he regarded Hylas. “Our master told us to keep out of the way when the ship sails and not to show ourselves for two or three days, not even when the ship’s beached for the night.”