Capn Strapp was laying about with the flat of his cutlass at the rats crowding the bows. “Git back, yer shell-brained slackers, waitll I gives the word. Go an shove on more sailyore slowin the vessel by all pilin up ere. Belay an git back, I say!
Rappsnout came scurrying forward, still grinning. “Capn, Capn, looks like Pearl Queens flounderin. Shes limpin like a lame duck with all sails on the starboard side slack!
Strapp was jubilant at this sudden stroke of luck. “Har-arr, she aint goin nowheres. Ahoy, where are you lot off to? Git back up forard ere. Stan by with weapons an grapplin “ooks! Runnin with this gale, well hove alongside er in no time!
A rat in the rigging on lookout began shrieking, “Waaah, Capn! Theres a big ole in the seas!
Strapp shook his head in mock despair. “You bin up there too long, Drangle. Come on down.
But the lookout persisted. “I never seen nothin like it, Capn, off tthe souwest. Cant you ear the noise its makin?
Strapp could ignore the warning no longer, even though Shalloo was upwind of the maelstrom. At first he thought the roaring of the vortex was thunder, but there had been no lightning flashes. The Corsair Captain hauled himself high into the forepeak rigging to take a look. Most of the crew did, too, and the sight of the colossal whirlpool caused chaos.
“Drangles righttis a pit in the waters! “Put about or were all deadbeasts! “Well be sucked down into it, mates! “Bring er around, Capn, afore we perish! Strapp gritted his teethhe was determined to have the Pearl Queen. Luck had been with him so far; he had rid himself of his brother and gained another crew. Now after chasing the prize halfway across the main he was not about to give up and turn tail. Booting the closest rats down to the deck, he railed at them.
“Down an stand ready, every rat jack of ye! I aint goin back empty clawed! Are you searats or landswabs? Wherever Pearl Queen goes, we can follow. Anybeast not with me is agin me, an its over the side with the cowards! Now look lively an jump to my biddin!
Spume and roaring water were everywhere, enveloping the crew of Pearl Queen. Log-a-Log and Finnbarr fought against the tiller as it bucked and yawed. The shrew Chieftain had to shout at the sea otter to be heard above the gale. “Are ysure you know what youre doin, Gale-deep?
Finnbarr laughed like a madbeast. “Yahaharr! Ive wrung more salt water out o me whiskers than that lot ave sailed on. Leave it tme! Keep those starboard sails slack an this rudder ard over. When I gives the word then pile the starboard sail back on an slack off the larboard sail, an swing this tiller over for all yore worth, matey. Joseph, get our crew up in the riggin, tell em to stand by. Rosie, marm,ow far off is Shalloo now?
Hon Rosie sloshed her way up to the high stern. “Less than forty shiplengths, bearing down fast, old thing! Her voice was cut off as Durry and Rufe fell from the rigging and clung tight to her neck, wailing.
“Well never see Red wall again!
“Were goin tfall off the seas edge into that pit!
Foremole and Joseph untangled them, the mole unable to tear his eyes from the maelstrom, which was hardly more than six shiplengths off now.
“Boi okey, ee mustve bed a gurt seabeast to dig an ole loik thatn, whurr, lookit er!
Pearl Queen seemed to be almost tottering on the brink of the whirling water tunnel now. The terrifying greeny-gray walls revolved at a breathtaking speed, a gaping hole reaching down, down, into mysterious darkness.
Joseph boosted Rufe and Durry aloft. “Come on, you two, Ill climb up there with you. Try not to look at the whirlpool and keep your ears pinned back for Galedeeps orders. Up you go!
“Finnbarr, here she comes. Rosies voice rose above the melee. “Shalloos sailin straight at us. Shell strike the center of our ship soon. Look out! Expertly Rosie caught the first grappling hook that shot out from Shal-loos bow and hurled it back, ducking a volley of arrows. Capn Strapps jubilant roars rang above the thunder of the Green Maelstrom.
“Lay on, buckoesshes ours, shes ours!
Suddenly Finnbarr was swinging the tiller over, calling out his orders: “Lash those starboard sails tight; let the wind catch er. Rosie, lend a paw on this tiller with men Log-a-Log! You shrews up there, look smart; slack off the sails on the larboard side. Move yerselves!
Durry labored furiously, trying to get his cold, spray-soaked paws to work on the ropes. Joseph toiled alongside him.
Rufes footpaws left the yardarm momentarily as a sail caught the wind and billowed out. “Whats the sea otter doin, Joseph sir? he cried. “Larboard, starboard, slack off an tighten up, pushin that tiller thing here an there; I dont unnerstand none of it.
The Bellmakers weatherbeaten face creased into a grim smile. “Nor do I, young un. Thats the thing about being crew, were not here to understand, just to obey orders. Though I think Finnbarr has left it too late. Duck! Arrows hissed viciously overhead as the three ducked.
The searats of the Shalloo were only a boatlength away. They crowded the bows of their ship, snarling as they fired arrows and whirled grappling hooks. Finnbarr held the tiller hard over as Rosie and Log-a-Log secured it in position with a rope halter. The larboard sails fluttered loose as Guosim shrews slacked them off. Shalloos bowsprit was a fraction from striking the Pearl Queen amidships when Finnbarrs sea skills paid off. The first six grappling hooks caught as it happened.
With a groaning of timber and creaking of rigging the Pearl Queen turned sideways! Finnbarr drew both the swords from their back scabbards, tossing one to Log-a-Log. Both creatures sprang to the rail, shearing the taut grappling lines with single strokes of the finely honed swords. Durry and Rufe stared wordlessly as Shalloo shot by them, her decks crowded with silent searats, numbed with shock as their ship caught the spinning edge of the Green Maelstrom. Halfway around the whirlpool it spun, hanging a split second in midair with its entire keel visible, then it tipped headfirst into the dark abyss. The Shal-loo was gone into the depths, never to be seen again by living eyes.
A gasp of horror arose from the crew of the Pearl Queen. Then Finnbarr was in the midst of them shouting, “Save yer pity for the ones they murdered! Theyve gone where all searats should go, mates! Stand by, we aint safe yet by a long chalk!
Pearl Queen traveled sideways around the far outer rim of the whirlpool, seemingly helpless, until they jumped to obey Finnbarrs next commands.
“Pile on all sail agin, crew!
Slashing the rope that held the tiller, he centered it and held it level with Log-a-Log and Rosies help. When she saw what was happening the Hon Rosies natural exuberance returned in full force.
“Whoohahahooh! I say, chaps, the jolly old ships sailin straight again, an goin like the clappers. Whoo-hahahahoo!
Joseph looked behind him. The Green Maelstrom was rapidly disappearing in the distance as Pearl Queen rushed due south like a great sea eagle. He scrambled down from the rigging and ran to Finnbarr. Grasping the sea otters paw in both of his own, the Bellmaker shook it strongly.
“Roaringburn, you found it, were sailing south!
The whole crew gave a great cheer, and Finnbarr grinned crookedly as he turned to acknowledge the compliment.
Boom!
The sea otter was knocked flat on his tail as the vessel shuddered from stem to stern. He scrambled upright, shouting, “What is it? Whats happenin?
The shrew Bandle leaned out over the starboard rail. “Look, weve just passed a rock stickin up out the water. We musta struck it!
There was an instant flurry of activity; the crew scattered in all directions to inspect the vessel for damage. Finnbarr held the tiller, calling anxiously, “Is everythin shipshape?
There was a chorus of “ayes. Then Foremoles head appeared from the forard rope locker.
“Zurr, thurrm a gurt ole in ee shipper ere. Hurr, ee waiter be a pouren in, oim afeared usns a sinken!