Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson

now I need to sleep. Wake me when it’s dark, would you?” A nod from Tink, and in a minute’s time Peter was fast asleep.

CHAPTER 19
ANYTHING UNUSUAL
    “ W HAT DID HE FIND?” said Ombra.
    He and Captain Nerezza were taking lunch, seated across from each other at a heavy table in the captain’s darkened quarters. Nerezza detested these meals, because of Ombra’s bizarre dining habits.
    Ombra ate only one thing: octopus. He ate it raw, and preferably live, out of a wooden bucket, placed on the table by a nervous cook’s mate, who quickly fled the cabin. Ombra would settle at the table and lean his black-cloaked form over the bucket, making hideous sucking and slurping sounds; occasional y black ink would squirt onto the table and floor.
    Nerezza found it difficult to eat his own food, sitting across from this grotesque spectacle.
    “What did who find?” said Nerezza.
    Ombra made a sucking sound, and Nerezza saw a tentacle, stil writhing, disappear into the shadow beneath the hood.
    “The boy you sent up to check the mizzen sails,” said Ombra. “What did he find?”
    “Oh, him,” said Nerezza a bit smugly. “Nothing. As I expected.”
    “Nothing? Nothing at al ?”
    “Not in the sails, no.”
    The hooded head lifted from the bucket, and although Nerezza could not see Ombra’s eyes, he felt the chil of his gaze.
    “But he saw something?”
    “He thought he saw something,” corrected Nerezza. “He lost his balance and blamed it on a bee.”
    “A bee.”
    “It’s ridiculous, of course,” said Nerezza. “There’s no bees out here. A gul is what he saw, if he saw anything. I took him off his ration of grog. He’s too young for grog if he’s seeing bees.”
    Ombra slurped down another piece of octopus. Then his hood came up again.
    “You wil double the watch tonight,” he said, sliding his chair back and standing.
    Nerezza wanted to object. He didn’t appreciate doubling the watch; it would disrupt the shifts. But al he said was: “As you wish, Lord Ombra.”
    “If any man sees anything unusual,” groaned Ombra, “I want to be told immediately.” He slid toward the door, passing uncomfortably close to Nerezza, who had to fight the urge to recoil.
    “Yes, my lord,” said Nerezza, though what he thought was, What are the men supposed to see? Bees ?
    Ombra stopped, and Nerezza felt his gaze. “Possibly,” he said. And then he was gone.

CHAPTER 20
THE SIGNAL
    M OLLY WAITED UNTIL THE MAID had set the tea service down and left the sitting room of their splendid London home. When the maid was out of earshot, Moly moved closer to her mother and spoke in a whisper.
    “Have you heard from Father?” she said.
    Louise Aster poured a cup of tea and handed it to her daughter before answering.
    “No, dear, not yet.”
    “Is that bad, do you think?” whispered Mol y. “Do you think he’s al right?”
    “I’m sure he’s fine,” said her mother, pouring herself a cup. “He said it might be some time before he could get word to us.” Mol y, setting her teacup down, rose and walked to the window. The sitting room looked out on Kensington Palace Gardens, one of London’s finest streets, a broad boulevard lined on both sides with massive mansions. It was a typical y gloomy London day, though for once it was not raining. A carriage rumbled past, clots of mud flying off the wheels, puffs of breath steaming from the horses’ nostrils, the top-hatted driver hunched down into his overcoat, trying to keep warm.
    On the sidewalk in front of the Aster house, looking cold but vigilant, stood the massive, sturdy form of Mr. Hodge. Mol y knew that Mr. Jarvis was watching the back of the house, with the dog, Hornblower. The third guard, Mr. Cadigan, was upstairs resting. Rain or no rain, there were always two of these men standing guard outside. Sometimes Mol y took them tea and biscuits, for which they were quite grateful, especial y Hornblower. Mol y had tried several times to engage the men in