Part 6 (2/2)

There was a knocking on the outside of the boat.

”Cap'n, it's Wetpaw. Come quick an' take a look out 'ere!”

The boat was lifted and Clogg poked his head from underneath. ”Lookit wot, mate?”

69.

The ferret pointed to reddy-orange glow illuminating the sky beyond the headland. It took a moment for realization to sink in, then the pirate stoat let out an agonized wail and began tearing at his braided beard, the clumsy wooden clogs clicking together as he performed an anguished jig on the sh.o.r.e.

”Whaaaagh! The slime-coated villain's burnin' me s.h.i.+p! Yarrggh! Me luvverly Seascarab, pride o' me 'eart! Badrang, yer rotten foul-nosed worm, stinkin' screw-tailed stoat, warp-eyed snotty-snouted shark!”

The corsair crew looked on in dismay as their Cap'n gave full vent to his spleen. Hurling himself at the gates, he hacked with his cutla.s.s, kicked with his clogs, even gnawed savagely at the woodwork with his teeth as he yelled between mouthfuls of splinters, ”I'll rip yer liver 'n' lights out an' feed 'em to the crabs. I'll cut off'n yer 'ead an' throw it in yer face. I'll string up yer tripes fer riggin'. I'll pickle yer tail in burnin' brine. I'll... I'll.... Yaaahaaagh!”

Skalrag and his archers stood paw-deep in the sea, the water scarlet and gold with reflections from the blazing vessel. They blinked as ashcloth from the sail drifted sootily by on the breeze. The Seascarab was settling down in flames on the shallow bay bed, and timbers crackled as blazing pitch bubbled from seams. Two rats who had been left on watch were draped limply in death over the gunwales, blazing arrows extinguis.h.i.+ng themselves in their backs. With its great green sail burned away, the mast stood like a fiery beacon against the star-studded night. It cracked and broke, falling in an avalanche of sparks. The vessel heeled over, listing at a crazy angle as sea water met flames with a loud steaming hiss.

Skalrag turned to his archers, satisfied. ”There's one s.h.i.+p that won't put out to sea again. Form up and follow me. We'll take care of those longboats before we head back to Marshank.”

70.

The wily fox did not want to attract attention from the battle area by burning the longboats.

”Put up those bows, use your swords an' knives to hole these boats. That'll leave Clogg trapped on the sh.o.r.e.”

Unaware that the longboats were being destroyed, Martin and his companions were heading for them, figuring to take one and sail further up the coast, where they would leave the boat and travel to Noonvale for help.

Felldoh looked to the fiery glow beyond the headland. ”We'd better hurry. Those searats will be coming for the longboats to see if they can save their s.h.i.+p.”

Martin glanced back towards the fortress as he remarked to his friend, ”Good guess, Felldoh. There's a whole bunch of them coming this way!”

The dark shapes of yelling corsairs could be seen leaving the fray and making for the longboats. Martin grasped Brome's paw.

”Let's put a move on, otherwise they'll catch up with us.”

Grumm had been looking ahead towards the boats. ”Hurr, lookit, thurr be other vurmin by they boats an' they see us'ns!” he groaned in dismay.

Felldoh gritted his teeth. ”Foebeasts behind an' before us, Martin. Either way is trouble.”

Martin sized the situation up quickly. ”We can't turn back now. There's less of 'em in front of us. Keep going. We'll have to chance rus.h.i.+ng them. Rose, take Grumm and Brome, pick out a boat and get going. Felldoh and I will hold them off. Please don't argue, just do as I say. Right, Felldoh?”

The big squirrel nodded. ”Right! I recognize that half-eared rogue at the boats-it's Skalrag. There's about ten with him. Let's get at it, Martin!”

The young mouse and the squirrel dashed towards Skalrag's group, yelling at the top of their voices.

71.

”Freedom! Chaaaaaaaarge!”

Skalrag was not sure whether the swiftly advancing pair were armed, though he knew by their warlike cries that they intended doing battle. The fox hesitated a moment, unsure whether to meet them sword in paw or go for his bow. He lost the initiative, barely having time to shout a warning to his archers before Martin and Felldoh were on him. The squirrel grabbed Skalrag's sword paw, struggling to get hold of the blade as Martin dealt the nearest rat a flying kick with both footpaws.

”Help me, help!” Skalrag was screaming.

Now some of Clogg's creatures spotted the activity by the longboats. They unsheathed their weapons and dashed forward to protect their boats. Two rats went down under the hefty digging claws of Grumm and a hearty wallop from a chunk of driftwood held by Rose. Brome began shoving the smallest of the boats out into the surf, and Grumm and Rose lent their weight to his efforts. Martin was holding on to one rat who was trying to stop the boat, while he held the head of another under the water. Felldoh had a stranglehold on Skalrag, whose sword belt had snapped; both sword and belt were lost somewhere in the shallows. The corsairs came charging in, yelling, surf splas.h.i.+ng beneath their paws.

Rose leaned over the stern of the small boat, pulling Brome in while Grumm found the oars. She began shouting. ”Martin! Felldoh! Over here, quickly!”

Thinking swiftly, Martin stunned a sea rat with a heavy blow. Grabbing a half-throttled Skalrag from Felldoh, he thrust the fox at the corsairs.

”Here, mates. One of Badrang's lot, tryin' to steal our boats!”

With a concerted howl of rage the corsairs threw themselves upon Skalrag and another rat Felldoh pushed towards them.

Martin nudged his friend, whispering urgently. ”Quick, into the boat!”

72.

Half wading, half swimming through the night-dark waters, they made for the boat. Grumm and Brome held oars over the stern to them.

”Burr, 'asten, zurrs!”

As they grabbed the oars and began climbing aboard, the corsairs suddenly realized what was going on.

”Those ain't searats. Stop 'em!” the ferret called Boggs yelled hoa.r.s.ely.

Martin scrambled into the boat, but Felldoh was having a hard time with his huge bushy tail weighed down by sea water. The rat called Growch floundered forward and seized the squirrel's footpaws. From the boat Martin managed to grab Felldoh by his other two paws, then another searat latched on to Felldoh's tail and a tug of war began. Felldoh was stretched between water and boat, helpless, his mouth filled with salt water.

Rose leaned over the stern, wielding an oar.

Thonkf Boff!

She stunned the rats with two direct hits. Martin heaved mightily and Felldoh came tumbling into the boat.

While some of the corsairs held Skalrag and his platoon prisoner, the rest jumped into the boats and began rowing after the escapers.

”Row!” Martin cried out to his friends. ”Paddle with your paws! Anything! Hurry. They're coming after us!”

Grumm sat in the stern, not moving. Rose looked at him curiously.

”Come on, Grumm. Paddle, don't just sit there.”

The mole shrugged unhappily. ”Oi carn't move, mizzy. Iffen oi do, us'll sink. Oi be setten roight on a gurt 'ole in 'ee boat!”

The mole sat, completely soaked, blocking the hole as best he could, with water swilling around the bottom of the boat.

Brome started to laugh. Felldoh eyed him disapprovingly.

73.

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