Jum Gurdy looked stricken. “This ole otter, a bigbeast, was he? An’ his boat—could it ’ave been a coracle, Cap’n?”
Buff Redspore replied, “I was first to find the poor chap. He’d been a fine big otter, an’ though the boat was in ashes, it could well have been a coracle. Did ye know him?”
Jum Gurdy blinked through his tears, staring at the oven fire fixedly. “Aye, I knowed him a’right. He was my ole uncle Wullow, who never did harm to anybeast.”
The ottermaid Kite echoed the name. “Old Wullow, he often visited our holt.”
Ruggan agreed. “Aye, Wullow an’ my father were great friends. This captive ye took, Captain—is that him?” He pointed to Crumdun, who was sitting hobbled between Wilbee and Flutchers.
Rake glanced at the fat little stoat. “Aye, that’s him, but Ah reckon he’s told us all he knows.”
Ruggan rose and went to Crumdun, seizing him by the neck. “So, ye told him all ye know, eh? Have ye anything more to tell me, vermin?”
Crumdun was terrified, gasping hoarsely in the viselike grip. “On me mother’s ’eart an’ me family’s honour, Lord, I told the rabbets everythin’ I knows. I’m only a simple crewbeast!”
Ruggan hauled him up on his paws, smiling coldly. “Garrent, Bartuk, take this piece of slime outside and get the truth out of him.”
As the corsair stoat was dragged off kicking and screaming, Ruggan remarked flatly to Rake, “Vermin were ever liars. He’ll talk once those two get to questioning him.”
Young Ferrul could not stop herself protesting. “Beg pardon, sah, but do your chaps mean to harm him in any way? T’ain’t the sort o’ thing we’d ever do!”
The ottermaid Kite stared at Ferrul oddly. “No, an’ ’tis not the sort o’ thing that old Wullow would have done. Look what happened to him.”
Ruggan Axehound addressed Ferrul. “Life’s harder up here on the High North Coast, miss. Codes of honour are different toward searats, corsairs and vermin murderers. That’s how my father’s Rogue Crew has always survived and been victorious, you’ll learn.”
Captain Rake sighed ruefully. “Aye, Ah’ve nae doubt she will, mah friend, but Ah’d be pleased if ye’d keep in mind that these are mainly young uns who’ve never been in real war before.” Wrapping the blanket about him, Rake lay back. “Sergeant Miggory, post two sentries an’ relief through the night. The rest of ye can sleep now. We’ll be marchin’ on the morrow.”
The oven fires glowed as they took their rest, each wondering how their encounter with the legendary Skor Axehound would be.
15
Uggo and Posy hung grimly on to their makeshift raft, squeaking fearfully as the four shining black shapes whooshed up out of the sea about them. Uggo gasped with shock as he came face-to-face with four seals.
The largest seal raised its head and bellowed, “Aaah hooooom! Haukahuuuuurm!”
Hoping the four big creatures meant them no harm, Posy took the initiative. Reaching out, she stroked the head of one, speaking gently to it. “We must get to shore. Help us, please.”
The seal dived underneath her and, with a shrug of its smooth, mobile body, flipped her up onto the arrowshaft raft, calling plaintively, “Aaaah hoooooommmm!”
Posy grabbed hold of Uggo, pulling him aboard. “I don’t know what they’re saying, but I think they want to help us. Whoops, hold tight!”
The raft took off through the water like a stone from a sling, spray drenching the two hedgehogs as they clung on tightly. Almost playfully, the four seals wafted their charges swiftly toward the shoreline.
Laughing with exhilaration, Uggo looked back at the Greenshroud. The merriment died on his lips when he realised the corsair galley was coming in pursuit of them. He yelled, “The vermin must’ve found we’ve escaped, look!”
Sure enough, the green vessel was bow on in their wake. Without warning, one of the huge arrows was shot from the bow mounted on the prow. However, it fell far short of them.
Posy saw the huge arrow splash into the waves behind them. “They’ll hit us if we don’t get to land soon!” She called urgently to the seals. “Oh, hurry, please hurry!” They seemed to sense the concern in her voice and sped the pair along even faster. As the shoreline loomed up, Uggo launched himself into the water, which was only up to his middle. Quickly he helped Posy into the sea.
“Come on, we can fend for ourselves now. These great beasts must get out of the way. I wouldn’t want to see them injured, or even slain.”
He splashed water at the seals, shouting, “Go now, friends, an’ thankee. Go quickly!”
The largest seal raised itself from the water, flapping its flippers noisily. “Wahoooommmm! Muuuurhaaaaawm!” The four sleek beasts vanished beneath the sea.
Razzid Wearat scanned ahead, watching the two small figures wading ashore. “How in the name o’ thunder did they get to land so fast? Even under full sail we couldn’t catch ’em!”
The vermin crew stayed for ’ard, fearful of any reprisals his wrath would bring on them. Somebeast was going to pay for letting the prisoners escape.
Mowlag, looking up from the bow, signalled for another arrow. “The closer we get, the more chance I got of slayin’’em!”
Razzid’s trident struck the bow, knocking it aside. “We ain’t got arrows to waste on two liddle pinhogs. Hold the ship dead ahead an’ we’ll run ’em down if’n we’re fast enough! Jiboree, set some good runners up here, an’ let me know when we’re in the shallows.”
Posy was first ashore. She glanced back at the rapidly closing galley as she took Uggo’s paw. “They’ll be right on our tails soon. We need to run and hide amongst those dunes!”
It was easy going on the firm sand below the tideline, but once they crossed the debris of seaweed and driftwood, things became difficult. Their paws sank into the dry sand, which slowed their progress considerably.
Uggo, never the fleetest of runners, tripped, sprawling headlong. He spat sand. “Phtooh! I ain’t much good at bein’ chased, Posy. You go on, leave me here. . . .”
The young hogmaid pulled him upright. “I’m not leaving you for those dirty vermin. Come on now, let’s get going—show me what you can do!”
Razzid sized up the four searats whom Jiboree brought for’ard. Two of them had the long, lean limbs of runners; the other two looked young but capable. He positioned them either side of the bowsprit.
“See if ye can make it to land afore this ship does an’ run those two escaped prisoners down. I want them back aboard alive, understood?”
The four nodded, bracing themselves to jump the moment some shallows showed. Razzid pointed at the two little figures stumbling toward the dunes.
“A keg of best Addersting grog to the one that lays paws on ’em first!”
The searats needed no further encouragement. With shouts of joy, they leapt into the sea. However, only two surfaced.
Razzid called to Mowlag and Jiboree, “Where’ve those two gone?”
Mowlag pointed at two rats breaking the waves, only to sink back beneath them. “There they are, Cap’n!”
The Wearat snarled at him. “Fool! I mean the other two—maybe they got washed under the hull?”
Jiboree was gesticulating furiously. “Yaaah—look, Cap’n, look look!”
One of the tall, rangy searats was practically standing up on the water’s surface, rushing toward the ship. Nearing the port side, he suddenly shot up out of the sea, striking Mowlag as he flopped to the deck.
Jiboree dashed to the fallen vermin’s side. “Blood’n’thunder—’e’s dead!”