Chessmen of Doom by John Bellairs

Author:John Bellairs
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 1989-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Speed, bonny boat, like a bird on the wing

Onward! the sailors cry;

Carry the lad that's born to be king

Over the sea to Skye. . . .

It was still raining. The distant islands were hidden by mist, and Johnny began to worry about rainwater filling up the boat. A rusty tomato can lay at his feet, but it would not be much use if they really had to bail. And there were other worries on his mind too.

"Do you think we can find the island in all this rain?" he asked. Johnny had to cup his hands to his mouth and yell, because of the roaring motor.

"I think I know where it is," the professor shouted back. "It's just beyond those islands up ahead!"

What islands? thought Johnny. All he could see beyond the boat's prow were blowing shawls of gray murk. The weather began to get worse. The wind whipped into a gale, and sheets of rain slapped at their faces, soaking them. The professor gritted his teeth, and it was almost as if he were forcing the boat forward by the power of his will. Suddenly, with a jarring crrunch! the boat stopped. They had run aground.

"Well, isn't this nice!" growled the professor. "I wonder where the devil we are!"

It was hard to tell. Through the mist and rain they could see the vague shapes of swaying pine trees, but that was about all. This might be Mr. Stallybrass's island, or it might not. Rain pattered on the bottom of the boat and the wind made an eerie keening sound as it whipped the pine boughs. Finally the professor forced himself to his feet. He clambered over the side into water that was only up to his ankles. Johnny and Fergie got out too, and they dragged the boat farther onto the gravelly beach. The professor unhooked the khaki-colored Boy Scout flashlight from his belt and turned it on. Slowly, hesitantly, he began to pick his way up the beach, and the boys followed him. Suddenly they stopped. A bell was ringing, a high-pitched clangy bell.

"What is that"?" exclaimed the professor as he squinted into the mist. "Do you remember if there was a dinner bell on Stallybrass's island?"

Fergie shrugged. "We didn't see any, Prof, but it was dark. There might've been one, for all I know."

Johnny said that he had seen a big bronze bell mounted in a tree, but it was on one of the large islands that they had passed during their daytime cruise.

"Fine!" grumped the professor, as he folded his arms in disgust. "Someone is probably ringing the bell in alarm because there are trespassers on their island. With luck, we'll have German shepherd dogs chewing at our ankles in a few minutes." He heaved a deep, discontented sigh. "Well, gentlemen," he went on, "there's no point in sailing in that storm, so we'll just have to throw ourselves on the mercy of whoever lives here. I think I see a path among those trees over there—let's go and show them that we mean no harm.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.