Part 31 (1/2)
”They went up that way an' into the woods.” Runn pointed north.
”An' they was carryin' those big bows an' lots of arrers too!”
327.
35.
Gabool unsheathed his sword and glared suspiciously at the three Captains who had stridden into Fort Blade-girt at the head of their crews.
”What are you three doin' here? What d'yer want?”
”You told us to come back here, Gabool.”
”King Gabool. You call me King, d'ye hear. Anyway, what news?”
”No news. Graypatch an' that dratted Darkqueen have vanished from the seas-no sign of 'em anywhere.”
Gabool tugged absently at his matted beard. ”That's no news. I've taken care of Graypatch an' Darkqueen long ago. Belay, have you three swabs been sinkin' s.h.i.+ps in Terramort cove?”
”s.h.i.+ps, what s.h.i.+ps?”
”Two of 'em, haharr, but never mind that. Have ye heard the bell? What about the great badger, did yer clap eyes on him?”
Riptung looked from Hookfin to Grimtooth. All three raised their eyebrows and shrugged. They watched as Gabool went across to the bell.
”See that! They don't hear ye, so why should I?”
”So it's right, he's mad as a gaffed fish,” Riptung whispered to Grimtooth.
328.
Gabool spun round. ”Avast, don't you three start plottin' behind me back!”
Riptung took a cask from one of his crew. He banged it down upon the table, stoving its head in with the hilt of his sword. ”n.o.beast's talkin' about yer, King Gabool. Come an' share a beaker o' this wine that I won!”
Grimtooth strode to the window. He stood drinking his wine and looking out to sea, then turned, laughing, to the others.
”Hoho. Lookit, mates, 'ere comes the Waveblade, sailin' inter the cove like a stranded sardine. Haharr, I'll wager ol' Orgeye's still in his bunk snorin'.”
They crowded to the windows to watch. Hookfin tugged Riptung's sleeve urgently. ”Did you leave any watch aboard yer vessel, matey?”
Riptung swung a claw back over his shoulder. ”No, they're all up 'ere with me. Why?”
Hookfin pointed down at the three s.h.i.+ps. ”Then who's movin' those vessels out ter sea?”
Riptung drew his sword and faced Gabool. ”This is one o' your tricks. What's yer game?”
But Gabool did not hear the angry Captain, he was staring wild-eyed at the hulking figure that paced the deck of the Waveblade, distant but unmistakable.
”Aaaaah! It's him, it's the badger!”
Immediately the three searat Captains and their King started bellowing orders to the packed hall.
”Get down t' the cove, stop the Blacksail puttin' out t' sea!”
”Kill the badger. I'll make any rat a Cap'n who slays him!”
”Stop the Nightwake, some scurvy slob's tryin' to steal her!”
”The badger! Kill the badger, s.h.i.+pmates!”
”Get after the Crabdaw, buckos. Bring 'er back t' me!”
”Whoever kills the badger is a rich rat, you got Gabool's oath on that!”
329.
Mariel stared at the three searat s.h.i.+ps as Wavebladc sailed into Terramort cove. Rawnblade swung the tiller, navigating between them.
”Strange, they've just arrived yet they're going out again.”
Tarquin shaded his eyes and peered across. ”Aye, an' those aren't searats who are sailin' them. What d'you think's goin' on?”
”Ahoy there, Mariel!”
The mousemaid gasped. There standing on the sh.o.r.e of the cove, waving at her, was Dandin. She jumped up and down, waving back.
”Dandin, Dandin! Stay there, we're coming ash.o.r.e!”
They plunged over into the shallows and waded onto the beach.
Dandin hugged and patted Tarquin and Mariel, who in their turn squeezed him tightly, ruffling his whiskers and patting his paws as if they could not believe it was really him. Smiling happily (and sniffling a little), Dandin managed to extricate himself from the welcoming huddle.
”I thought you were dead, I was certain you'd been drowned, though there wasn't much time to think about that with the fix me and Durry found ourselves in. I tell you, don't ever become an oarslave, it's worse than being captured by the Flitchaye!”
When the reunion was finished and Lord Rawnblade had been introduced, Mariel looked about. ”Where's Durry?”
No sooner had she spoken than, in company with two hooded shrews, Durry came pounding down the path to the cove. The young hedgehog looked very das.h.i.+ng, wearing a broad leather belt with several daggers bristling from it and a hood on his head.
”Oh, Durry, you do look a proper swashbuckler and no mistake!” Mariel laughed.
However, Durry Quill was in no mood for banter. Puffing and blowing, he waved back over his shoulder.
330.
”Phew! Quick, 'urry up, there's about five 'undred searats 'ot on me trail. They're comin' after you, I think. Mikla, Flann, get that s.h.i.+p out to sea. I'll take these friends to the caves. Hurry!”
The two shrews Mikla and Flann waded out to the Waveblade to take her out of the searats' reach with the other three s.h.i.+ps.
Mariel, Tarquin and Rawnblade followed Durry and Dandin as they raced off in the opposite direction to Bladegirt, toward the sheer rocky coast which veered up on the west side of the cove.