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of the stupid things adults did, and Marrow was an adult. Sometimes it was necessary to cater to the foibles of adults, no matter how pointless it seemed.
    “Marrow, I'm sorry if I insulted you,” Dolph said. “I know you're from the gourd, and you're okay. I meant to say that the brassy girl was the dumb one, and Esk was dumb for taking up with her. She probably bosses him around as bad as Ivy does me.”
    The hollow eye sockets of the skull turned to glance at him. “You are sensitive to being told what to do?”
    “Well sure! Nobody likes having dumb girls boss him around all the time!”
    “Then I think I misunderstood the thrust of your remark,” Marrow said. “I may have taken offense erroneously, and I apologize to you for that.”
    “Hey, you can't apologize to me! I was apologizing to you!”
    “Sometimes it is possible to exchange apologies. But let me explain something about the gourd, and about women. There are many creatures of the gourd, and they are unlike the creatures of regular Xanth because they are animated by magic, but they do have duties and feelings too. It is not fair to dismiss them merely because they reside in a world that is unlike yours.”
    “Yeah, I guess so,” Dolph said contritely.
    “Similarly, women are in certain respects like another species, and men can have difficulty understanding them. But they too have duties and feelings, and should not be lightly dismissed. Bria Brassy is a fine woman, and an excellent match for Esk Ogre, and he is a better man because he recognized that.”
    “But that mush stuff—ugh! I saw him in the Tapestry, kissing her.”
    “In time you will understand why adults derive pleasure from such activity.”
    “Never!” Dolph swore.
    Marrow did not reply, but he seemed to be smiling.
    “Would you kiss a girl?” Dolph asked challengingly.
    “I fear a living girl would not appreciate such a gesture on my part.”
    “Well, a bone girl, then?”
    “Oh, yes, if she liked me, though we of the skeletal persuasion have other ways to interact. However, that is academic, as I am the only one of my kind out here in the outer realm.”
    Dolph realized that Marrow, though he was an interesting fellow, was nevertheless still an adult, with those peculiar adult attitudes. He refused to condemn mushy stuff. It was a good thing there were no female skeletons here!
    After a time, Dolph got tired of walking. But he realized that he would be just as tired in animal form too. He had been able to fly before because only his legs had been tired, but now his arms were sore. This was an aspect of adventuring he hadn't thought about, when he watched the Tapestry.
    “Perhaps—” Marrow started.
    “Yeah, maybe it's time to rest,” Dolph agreed.
    “—I could carry you. I do not tire, and if you were to assume a small form—”
    “Great!” Dolph became a dormouse. Marrow put down his hand, and Dolph scrambled up to his bony shoulder. Marrow bent to pick up Dolph's pack of belongings. It was much better traveling this way; now he could rest while still making progress toward the Isle of Illusion.
    In due course the enchanted path petered out. It seemed that very few folk cared to travel this far. Progress slowed, because although Marrow's bones were tireless, it was slower to forge through the encroaching wilderness than along a cleared path. Now they had to weave around the more dangerous plants, such as tangle trees, and to watch out for dragons’ lairs. Dolph wasn't really afraid of such things, because he knew he could transform into something to fight off any obnoxious plant or animal. But it was better to stay out of trouble and save his magic for true emergencies.
    They came to a river. Marrow merely started to forge through it, but then he hesitated. “Something is gnawing at my leg bones,” he said. Sure enough, there were dogfish under the surface, and more coming. Marrow quickly retreated to the shore. He did not suffer pain, but it would have been