The Nine Pound Hammer by John Claude Bemis

Author:John Claude Bemis [Bemis, John Claude]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-375-85386-9
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2009-03-19T16:00:00+00:00

AN HOUR AFTER THE GOG’S IRONCLAD WAS LEFT MIRED in the marsh, the Snapdragon entered the wide, flowing course of the river. The pirates howled about the deck, cheering for Si, and then, remembering their manners, cheering Conker and Ray. With the excitement of the chase over, Ray felt exhausted. He wanted a bed; even a dry spot on the deck would work fine. But there was no chance for sleep yet. The Pirate Queen continued farther down the river until she found a hidden, tree-lined creek to dock the Snapdragon, then she shouted for Etienne Beauvais, the ship’s cook, to prepare a late-night feast in celebration of their escape.

Ray followed Si and the Pirate Queen from the pilothouse. The laughing pirates had already led Conker into the galley. Tables and chairs littered the cozy room where the pirates took their meals. The room filled quickly, and the pirates pressed to the sides to allow their queen to cross to her seat. It was a velvet-cushioned bench built into the wall that ran along the back of the galley. She gestured with her cigar for Ray, Si, and Conker to join her on the bench.

Etienne had no time to cook a proper feast, but he carried in platters of pungent cheese, tropical fruits, cold slabs of smoked cod, and vol-au-vents. The Pirate Queen opened several casks of her favorite claret, but most of the pirates opted for the rum. During the noisy, lip-smacking feast, the crew toasted the three over and over before settling into roaring conversations, belching, and other gastronomical noises.

“Your promise is fulfilled, and so is mine,” the Pirate Queen announced, giving Ray a nod. “If you’re in need of work, we could use three such as yourselves on the Snapdragon.”

Conker licked the fruit from his fingers. “No thank you, ma’am. We best get on in the morning. Nel will be wanting us to get back.”

“Nel?” she asked. “Would that be Peg Leg Nel?”

Conker swallowed hard with surprise, and looked guiltily at Ray and Si. “Uh, yes, ma’am. You know Mister Nel?”

“Know of him. Ramblers, huh? I knew you weren’t Ramblers. You three are nothing more than scruffs in his medicine show.”

None of the three could muster a reply, and the Pirate Queen unleashed a loud laugh. She tossed back her claret and sucked on her cigar as Mister Lamprey refilled her outstretched glass.

“Medicine show scruffs. Well, if I’m not mistaken, there is a cowboy among you. Eustace Buckthorn?”

Ray smiled, remembering the rumor that Conker and Eddie had shared: that Buck had once been in love with the Pirate Queen.

“Sure. We know Buck.”

Mister Lamprey scowled, splattering rum from his lips. “He was once with the crew of the Snapdragon, and a right terrifying outlaw. That was back before he turned yellow and joined up with them Ramblers. And now you telling us he ain’t nothing more than a carnival attraction?”

The Pirate Queen laughed. “Eustace is a good man. Too good for our ilk.” She added almost wistfully, “And with much more goodness than he himself is willing to recognize.

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.