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The Prisoners And Magicians Of The House Of Swan, by Patrick Volpe.  98 pages, $2.

(You and Scott, a boy who is helping you, have just discovered a battle site. The Mt. Amazons had fought with a huge monster and lost. The site has been plundered by savages, but each of the male Mt. Amazons had one link of a gold chain remaining attached to their belt.)  Scott asks why the savages left one link of the gold chain behind. You tell him probably because they only had tools made of iron or weaker metals. As the first link is partially protected by the steel of the belt, they probably were unable to remove it. Then you stop and think. Scott's question has made you realize something big. But this time the smart little fink hasn't figured it out before you did! You insert the tip of your steel sword into the link, twisting it open. Steel is a lot stronger than either iron or gold. You pick up the gold link and put it in Scott's hand. You ask "About how many pieces of gold do you think that link is worth?" When he tells you about two, you agree with him. You then add "There are 98 dead Mt. Amazon males here. I think we'll find 98 gold links. At two gold coins each, that is 196 gold pieces in all. Added to the money I've got, I'd say we may be able to buy a horse after all." You don't tell him that his last question made you realize all this. You want him to think that you thought it all by yourself, at least for now.

Scott and you search the rest of the dead Mt. Amazons. As you guessed, neither of the two female warriors had metal belts. But, all of the 98 male braves and warriors had them. As each belt had one link of its gold chain remaining, you found 98 gold links. You head for the city of Corinth with your new found gold.

You have not traveled far before the sun sets. You have gone without much sleep for two days, so you'd like to stop for the night. Yet, you remember that there is a carnivorous monster somewhere around here. Maybe you should continue until you are in the city. Then again, there are Mt. Amazons in the city. If they come across you, you won't be safe there either.  Or, you could return to the battle site and search it again. You found a lot of gold there, do you know a reason to continue searching there? What do you decide to do?

If you decide to stop for the night, turn to the next page.
If you decide to continue walking till you get to Corinth, turn to page 61.
If you decide to return to the battle site to search it again, turn to page 50.

(Next page.) You decide to stop for the night. You and Scott badly need the rest, and you can take turns sleeping. With a monster about, you will have to keep a watch, just to play it safe. Scott decides to take the first shift, so you tell him to stay awake and wake you before moonrise. You then go to sleep. When the moon has climbed high in the night sky, you open your eyes. Wondering what woke you, you turn to ask Scott why he failed to do so. Just then the ground shakes. You see that Scott has fallen asleep, and that an enormous creature is moving in on him. It is a huge dinosaur, and the shaking is from its feet hitting the ground. The shaking of the ground must have woke you. You should have never trusted a boy who has hardly slept for two days to keep the watch. You yell at Scott and grab for your sword...