we?”
Esmeralda nodded. “I think so,” she said. “Safe from Captain Grizzletusk and his scurvy crew, at least. But we’re not out of trouble yet. Jack! Get up and man the boom, there’s a good fellow! The Goills isn’t known as the windships’ graveyard for nothing!”
It was tricky going at times, but with Esmeralda yanking on the tiller and yelling commands, and with Jack hauling at the ropes and Trundle hanging on for all he was worth, they eventually emerged safe and sound on the far side of the Goills.
With danger left far behind and with a fresh wind blowing into its bulging sail, the Thief in the Night went skimming jauntily along through a clear, pirate-free sky.
It was at about this point that Trundle ventured a question or two.
“Where exactly are we going?” he asked, looking hopefully at Esmeralda. “Only, I was thinking, I’d quite like to pop back home … just for a little while, you know. For a bit of a rest after all we’ve been through.”
“I’m all for rest and relaxation,” said Jack, lying in the bottom of the skyboat with his arms behind his head and his feet up on the bow rail. “I know a tavern keeper in Hernswick Town—a sweet soul called Corrie Cutthroat. You’d like her, she’s a sport! She’d give us a fair deal on bed and board. Why, there was this one time—“
“Sorry, no can do.” Esmeralda interrupted him. “We’ve got to find Aunt Millie first and show her that iron key we found with the Crystal Crown. My guess is it opens a secret room or a locked chest where the Iron Crown has been hidden for thousands of years. And I’m betting Aunt Millie will know just exactly where it is! With her help, we’ll track down the rest of the crowns in no time!”
“Yes, but…” Jack and Trundle began together.
“I’m going to take us to Tenterwold,” said Esmeralda. “The Roamany caravans will be there—and so will Aunt Millie!”
“How do you know that for sure?” ventured Trundle.
“Because it’s almost the twelfth of Greengrow!” said Esmeralda. “The Roamanys always arrive in Tenterwold on the twelfth of Greengrow for the start of the Annual Port Tentercombe Cheese Fair!” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know anything ?”
Three days out from the Goills, early on a bright and sunny morning, Esmeralda suddenly let out a yell and pointed over the starboard side of the skyboat.
“We’re here!” she whooped. “That’s Tenterwold. Can I navigate, or what?”
Trundle and Jack peered over the bow. A lush green island was rising rapidly up beneath them. From that height, it seemed to be a land entirely made up of gentle hills and valleys and of patchwork fields and cultivated woodlands.
“Sweet!” said Jack, winking at Trundle. “Sweet as a nut!”
Making easy landfall, they moored their skyboat at a quay on the outskirts of a charming little town that lay in a wide valley of meadowlands and pastures. Forested hills rolled along the far horizon, and the sky above was bright with fluffy white clouds.
Trundle gazed happily around himself as they headed into the bustling town of Port Tentercombe. The crown and key were stowed safely away in a sack that hung over his shoulder. How very pleasant, Trundle thought to himself, sniffing at the fragrant air. And such a change from the stinky, crime-infested warren of Rathanger and the dark and dismal mines of Drune!
A festive crowd of friendly folk surrounded them, buzzing with excitement and anticipation. The big event was about to get under way. The whole town was festooned with garlands and bunting in bright greens and yellows, and with banners and posters proudly proclaiming:
“And the twelfth of Greengrow is today ,” Esmeralda told them. “And it’s a tradition among us Roamany folk to roll the first new cheeses of the season. The caravans should arrive anytime now! Aunt Millie would never miss the opening day of the Port Tentercombe Cheese Fair!”
Trundle looked thoughtfully at her.
Esmeralda nodded. “I think so,” she said. “Safe from Captain Grizzletusk and his scurvy crew, at least. But we’re not out of trouble yet. Jack! Get up and man the boom, there’s a good fellow! The Goills isn’t known as the windships’ graveyard for nothing!”
It was tricky going at times, but with Esmeralda yanking on the tiller and yelling commands, and with Jack hauling at the ropes and Trundle hanging on for all he was worth, they eventually emerged safe and sound on the far side of the Goills.
With danger left far behind and with a fresh wind blowing into its bulging sail, the Thief in the Night went skimming jauntily along through a clear, pirate-free sky.
It was at about this point that Trundle ventured a question or two.
“Where exactly are we going?” he asked, looking hopefully at Esmeralda. “Only, I was thinking, I’d quite like to pop back home … just for a little while, you know. For a bit of a rest after all we’ve been through.”
“I’m all for rest and relaxation,” said Jack, lying in the bottom of the skyboat with his arms behind his head and his feet up on the bow rail. “I know a tavern keeper in Hernswick Town—a sweet soul called Corrie Cutthroat. You’d like her, she’s a sport! She’d give us a fair deal on bed and board. Why, there was this one time—“
“Sorry, no can do.” Esmeralda interrupted him. “We’ve got to find Aunt Millie first and show her that iron key we found with the Crystal Crown. My guess is it opens a secret room or a locked chest where the Iron Crown has been hidden for thousands of years. And I’m betting Aunt Millie will know just exactly where it is! With her help, we’ll track down the rest of the crowns in no time!”
“Yes, but…” Jack and Trundle began together.
“I’m going to take us to Tenterwold,” said Esmeralda. “The Roamany caravans will be there—and so will Aunt Millie!”
“How do you know that for sure?” ventured Trundle.
“Because it’s almost the twelfth of Greengrow!” said Esmeralda. “The Roamanys always arrive in Tenterwold on the twelfth of Greengrow for the start of the Annual Port Tentercombe Cheese Fair!” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know anything ?”
Three days out from the Goills, early on a bright and sunny morning, Esmeralda suddenly let out a yell and pointed over the starboard side of the skyboat.
“We’re here!” she whooped. “That’s Tenterwold. Can I navigate, or what?”
Trundle and Jack peered over the bow. A lush green island was rising rapidly up beneath them. From that height, it seemed to be a land entirely made up of gentle hills and valleys and of patchwork fields and cultivated woodlands.
“Sweet!” said Jack, winking at Trundle. “Sweet as a nut!”
Making easy landfall, they moored their skyboat at a quay on the outskirts of a charming little town that lay in a wide valley of meadowlands and pastures. Forested hills rolled along the far horizon, and the sky above was bright with fluffy white clouds.
Trundle gazed happily around himself as they headed into the bustling town of Port Tentercombe. The crown and key were stowed safely away in a sack that hung over his shoulder. How very pleasant, Trundle thought to himself, sniffing at the fragrant air. And such a change from the stinky, crime-infested warren of Rathanger and the dark and dismal mines of Drune!
A festive crowd of friendly folk surrounded them, buzzing with excitement and anticipation. The big event was about to get under way. The whole town was festooned with garlands and bunting in bright greens and yellows, and with banners and posters proudly proclaiming:
“And the twelfth of Greengrow is today ,” Esmeralda told them. “And it’s a tradition among us Roamany folk to roll the first new cheeses of the season. The caravans should arrive anytime now! Aunt Millie would never miss the opening day of the Port Tentercombe Cheese Fair!”
Trundle looked thoughtfully at her.
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