“You’re right. A storm could have caused us real problems. Keep that to yourself, too.”
“There’s more.”
“Damn, I thought there might be. Well, get to the worst of it.”
“When we found that, we looked around and found other crates were untied and broken into. Lots of them. We looked inside two, and one has a big empty space where something was packed, but it is gone.”
“Did you change anything? I mean, store them properly again?”
“We thought we should stop right there and tell you.”
“You did the right thing. Okay, you are on deck-watch this morning. If any boats come alongside, you call to us down in the hold and get us.” He headed for the wheelhouse and shortly he reappeared, the captain at his heels. They disappeared into the rear hatch.
The bos’n had been right when he said that you can hear cussing and banging through the deck. She heard plenty of it before they emerged and ripped the forward hatch cover off. Once down there, they only remained a short time.
When they came up, the captain looked at her, face flush with anger. “Thank you, Prin.”
“Was the other hold a mess?”
“Worse than that. It was in perfect condition. Most of what was done was to reflect on you, which is probably less honorable than stealing from our customers,” the captain’s voice was shaky.
Prin lifted her chin defiantly. “You don’t think I had anything to do with it?”
“Of course, not. Clearly, Jam did this to make you look bad. I apologize for my son and will repay you for the loss of your things.”
“Ours were just some things to take back home. Most were of little value, except for the books he tore—and they cannot be replaced at any price. We owe you, not the other way around.”
The two of them turned and left her standing alone. She assumed she was still on watch since nobody else was there. Sara would be helping the cook, Sayed cleaning inside from the wheelhouse, down. That left her. Alone. Sleepy.
Later, she watched a pair of longboats approach and then raced to find the captain. The bos’n took an active hand in manning the ropes instead of issuing orders as usual. The anchor was raised, and the Merry Princess was towed to shore.
The dry dock was as the bos’n had described. It was one of a series of piers with solid wood walls that went down into the water and sunk into the mud below. Once the ship was in one of the smaller ones, a pair of giant gates were closed to the sea. Men were standing by, waiting at a series of pumps. They started pumping splattering bursts of water back into the harbor, the handles traveling up and down, up and down.
As fast as they worked, the level of the water seemingly remained the same. Sara appeared at her side, and they watched. The bos’n came up beside them and said, “We’ve met with the repair superintendent, and he’s looked at our needs. He said there is no way the work will be completed in less than thirty days, and probably more than forty.” He pointed to one side, “After they’re done cleaning and repairing the hull, the ship will move over there. The cargo will be placed in those sheds and locked. If you need anything, get it before then.”
Sara said, “When can we go into town?”
“As of now, you are free to leave. Keep watch for the green flag on the mast, or come down and ask the supervisor for a date they’ll be done. Listen, ten days after that green flag goes up, the ship sails. If we need to replace crew, there’s a pool of them to draw from in the seaman’s hall.”
“If we’re not here you’ll leave us?” Prin cried.
“The ship will sail on time. Hopefully, you are here, but we can’t come searching for you in a city this size.”
Sara said, “We’ll check every few days. Prin, I think we’re packed, but I can’t find the cat.”
The bos’n said, “It probably took off. They often do when a ship hits port.”
“But I was beginning to like it,” Prin said.
Sara said, “Okay, one more quick look around.”
They returned to the deck without the cat, and Prin said, “I will come back in a few days to see if it’s here.”
They went into the crew’s quarters and gathered their things. Prin still carried the hidden purse containing her gold coins at her waist and another purse for small purchases. Sara also wore one. They wore their drab brown dresses and pointed hats, thinking they would draw less attention by dressing so different.
Prin called for the cat as they walked the deck, and when they crossed the gangplank to the edge of the drydock, Prin turned back and looked again. She saw the water was at least a foot lower, and the hull was settling into the V-shaped cradle that would hold it. The men at the pumps were still working steadily. Prin waved to the wheelhouse and the captain and continued up the side of the drydock to a road where they stumbled to a stop.
Chaos described the scene.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Prin watched the chaos of the shipyard with wide eyes as they followed behind a pair of men who seemed to know where they were going. Materials for ships loaded down wagons, workers hustled from place to place, others carried tools, masts spanned between two wagons, and everyone seemed to have a job or purpose except the two of them.
A small wagon pulled by a small horse slowed beside them. A man leaned over and called above the din, “Need a ride? Best rates in Gallium.”
“How much to ride to that hill up there?” Prin pointed.
Flashing a toothy smile, he called merrily, “Depends on what part. Tell you what, when we get up to where you want, I’ll let you know. Throw your stuff in the back and let’s go.”
Sara made a move in his direction. Prin barred her with an arm. “No thank you. In our land, we walk.”
He slapped the reigns too hard on the rump of the horse, and it charged ahead. Sara said, “Do you see how far it is to walk up there?”
“He was going to cheat us.”
“How do you know?”
“An honest driver would have given a price for the shorter trip and warned us of what it might be if we traveled more distance.”
Sara said, “Are you sure you’re not thirty?”
Prin said, “Twelve.”
Sara shouted at the same time, “Thirteen.”
They both laughed again and decided thirteen was the proper age, while Prin counted on her fingers and decided she had missed a birthday while at sea. If not, it was soon, so adding a year to make her seem older was all right, but the game of asking her exact age amused both.
Two more carriages offered rides, one quoted an exorbitant price, while the other offered to settle at the far end, a scam that seemed ordinary. Other sailors were walking in both directions, most of them men, and the sailors were the largest number of all.
One walked alone, his wide eyes on the city that rose up the hillside, a first-time tourist, like them. He was older than Prin but younger than Sara, and there was an innocence about him that drew the attention of those around with greed in their eyes. Another small wagon pulled beside him, and the driver said, “Welcome to Gallium, my new friend. Throw that heavy bag in the back, and I’ll take you where you want at the best price on the waterfront.”
He shifted the sea bag on his shoulder and hesitated. The bag was apparently getting too heavy to carry. His mind wanted the ride, but his purse probably didn’t.
Besides being young and innocent, there was more to the boy. A faint haze shimmered around his head, just enough to blur the outline of his hair if she looked at it carefully. Prin nudged Sara. “See that?”
“Yes. I’ve never seen anything like it before, but have heard of it. I think he has untrained magic and does not know it,” Sara hissed softly.