06 The Kings Buccaneer by Feist Raymond

Author:Feist, Raymond [Raymond, Feist,]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-04-10T11:24:13.018000+00:00

Marcus and Calls both clung to what was left of a line from the forechannel, and Brisa gripped Marcus around the waist witfaboth arms. Ghuda still held Anthony tightly with one arm what (he other was wrapped around a capstan. Blood ran down his (ace from a messy-looking scalp wound. Nakor was enmeshed in what remained of one of the foremast ratlines, and he was shouting for someone to cut him loose.

, Then Nicholas realized who was missing. "Harry!" he ' Shouted, Suddenly his stomach constricted and he vomited sea-water.' The ship groaned and rolled and Amos pulled himself out ftom under a broken spar. Heaving himself to his feet, he glanced around at the damage. He came to give Nicholas a

THE KING 's BUCCANEE R

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hand up and said, "What a mess." Turning to the stern of the ship, he shouted, "Mr. Rhodes!"

No answer came. Amos set about examining his ship and quickly came back to Nicholas. "Gather everyone on the main deck, and salvage whatever you can. Get as many water casks and skins into the longboats as possible, and whatever food you can find. We're sinking."

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Nicholas.

Amos shook his head and turned away. Nicholas went to where Calis was cutting Nakor loose from the tangle of ropes that confined him and said, "Everyone to the main deck. We're abandoning ship."

Word quickly passed and Marcus and Nicholas hurried to their cabins, where water could already be seen coming up through the planks of the deck. They grabbed whatever they could from the jumbie and hurried up above. Calis had retrieved his bow and arrows, both protected by oilskin, but Marcus's bow was lost. Knowing that they were about to be cast adrift on a hostile shore, Nicholas forced his way past a tangle of debris and bodies and entered Amos's cabin. He opened the small trap and removed the pouch of gold Amos had shown him when Brisa had been brought aboard. He began to hurry out, then remembered something and sloshed through the rising water to Amos's desk. He pulled it open and found a red-leather-covered logbook, which he picked up. Putting the gold in his tunic and the log under his arm, he entered the compan-ionway and saw water swirling. The ship was going down fast.

Hurrying up the ladder to the main deck, Nicholas felt another stab of pain in his foot and almost dropped the log. He nude it to the deck in time to see a few surviving sailors leaping off the railing into the water. Amos stood on the deck and motioned him over.

Reaching Amos, Nicholas gave him the logbook. "I've got the gold from your cabin* too. We're probably going to need it."

"Bless you, boy, for keeping your wits about you." He hugged the book to his chest. "With this, we can get home someday."

Nicholas climbed over the rail and found a longboat waiting only five feet below. Glancing upward, he said, "Amos?"

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Raymond E. Feist

"I'm coming, Nicky." He took one last look around the deck.

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