Heart of Steele by Brad Strickland & Thomas E. Fuller

Author:Brad Strickland & Thomas E. Fuller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Published: 2003-08-20T04:00:00+00:00

Fury Attacks

GRAPESHOT RIPPED ACROSS our decks, shredding men and lines and sails. Railing flew into splinters and one of our guns was thrown over, crushing half of its crew under two tons of iron. Men screamed and cursed, and a dazed Captain Hunter stood there, his cutlass limp in his hand. Uncle Patch yanked him around and shouted into his blank face.

“Awake, William!” he roared. “The devil’s dealt new cards and you haven’t even picked up your hand!”

Fire came billowing back into the captain’s eyes, and for a horrible moment I thought he was going to strike my uncle, and that would mean the end of us. Then something shiny and sharp came sailing over the larboard railing and bit into the black wood with a meaty thud. Both Uncle Patch and Captain Hunter stared at it.

“Boarders!” Uncle Patch snarled with a curse.

More of the silver hooks were flying up and over now just as the Fury emptied another broadside into our starboard. I ran to the side to see what was going on, only to be yanked back by my uncle after a glimpse.

“Have ye gone brainless as well?” he thundered. “Down, ye young fool, down!”

I was shoved down onto the deck, but I had seen what I had seen. Three longboats loaded to the gunnels with pirates were lashing themselves to our port side. While we had been concentrating on the Fury, they had crept up on us, silent as fever. And now they were roaring up our sides, all screams and steel.

And every one of them had a strip of red silk tied to his right arm. It was a uniform of sorts, the red mark of men who sailed for Jack Steele.

“No quarter, ye dogs!” a deep voice boomed from the deck of the Fury. “None asked, none given!”

Now the grappling hooks came flying from the decks of the Fury as her crew fought to lash her tight to the Aurora. Men were leaping over and landing on our decks, cutlasses flashing in the fading light. And every one wore a strip of bright crimson silk.

“They’ve hurt my ship,” said Captain Hunter in a voice lost in wonder. Then his eyes flashed with that old Hunter fire. “To me, Aurora! Repel boarders!” And he was rushing down to where his crew was just beginning to rally against the invaders.

“Aye, just rush in and get your simple English brains knocked out!” Uncle Patch yelled over the clash of battle. “’Tis so much better knowing we have a plan! Mr. Warburton!”

“Aye, Doctor?” rumbled our giant helmsman.

“Watch my fool of a nephew! ’Tis his help I’ll be needing before all this is down and done! I’ve got to help Hunter!” He turned back to me and slapped a gully, a sailor’s knife, into my hand. “Eyes, legs, liver, and lights—forget about honorable fighting! Any dog that attacks a boy doesn’t deserve it! Stab fast, get away, and run like the devil!”

With these words, Uncle Patch drew his own sword

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