The Return of the Polabian Bandits

The bandit gang, whose night-time raid had been so abruptly halted by a single cough, had returned to our camp! But this time, breaking all known pirate conventions, they arrived in bright daylight, heading straight toward the Crew's small camp.

The Captain was still not in sight upon the moor. The bandits approached the heavily armed yet completely dazzled Crew, waving tattered documents. They showed the Crew papers covered in scrawls of a completely unknown language. It was a cipher no seasoned traveler could decode.

The Russian's Revelation

Once again, The Russian came to the rescue. Though he stared at the shabby paper and could not comprehend a single symbol, a spark of recognition illuminated his stoic features. He turned to the bewildered Crew and voiced his theory:

"Hear me," the Russian proclaimed, "these are so-called Polabians! They are poor souls adrift from a country nobody knows about. My great-uncle, though, visited them by accident. But I do not know... what they want from our encampment."

The First-Class Fowl

Having delivered their incomprehensible message, the bandit-looking gang departed the encampment, but they made a terrible racket as they went. They pointed in every direction, crying out loud slurs like lost merchants caught in a sudden storm.

Their noisy exit was only halted once. They stood perfectly still, mesmerized, when they passed the chickens of the Crew's quarter. These were no ordinary birds; they were a flock carefully selected and bred by the Captain himself, always traveling first-class in their special carts, pecking at the earth with aristocratic grace. The Polabians stared in awe before finally making their hasty retreat.

A Dim Light in the Yurt

After the bandits from the strange land had finally vanished over the horizon, the Crew checked once more to see if the Captain had emerged to take the lead. Yet, they saw only his tiny yurt standing resolute, a dim light glowing softly from within like a lighthouse in the fog.

Knowing the Captain was still at his silent watch, the Crew did what any seasoned travelers would do in a lull between troubles. They went back to drinking, sleeping, and eating, continuing their patient wait for the Captain's next orders.