the dessert and wound up drinking hers and Jean's. And part of Jack's. Then the villagers and the crew gathered around the fire. Tumen told the story of his adventures aboard the Barnacle. After that, he translated while his older brother, Chila, told the story of Tumen's kidnapping. Other people told tales abou t their heroes' gods. When Mam cleared his voice and tapped his cane on the ground, everyone was silent for his turn.
"He is telling a story about the greatest treasure mankind has ever known," Tumen explained in a whisper."Is it cursed?" Jack asked drily. "Any cursed people guarding it? Cursed ingots that minted it, cursed cats that claim to be its sister? Because as you know, I've sworn off anything involving magic and curses. Give me a nice buried treasure chest. Pirate's loot. An unlocked bank. Something simple."Mam shook his head at Jack. "This is a treasure not to be sought out," Tumen translated.
"It is a City of Gold.""El Dorado!" Fitzwilliam said, perking up. "I have heard of the place. The Spanish lost many men in expeditions sent looking for it. An utter waste of reso urces," he said dismissively. T umen translated Mam's response:
"Not El Dorado. This is something far greater. This is another city.”
“ Well, where is it, man, I mean, Mam?" Jack said, frustrated. "It sounds like a right fine place to visit."Mam's black eyes grew unreadable as he looked at Jack. He spoke quietly. Tumen looked at him questionin gly, then said it in English. " Wherever the silver lives, the city is."A hush fell over the crowd; even the insects in the brush seemed to fall silent. The crew of the Barnacle shivered.The evening was soon over.
Villagers began to get up and go inside, retreating from the cold of the night. The bonfire died down to red and orange embers that glowed feebly against the blackness of the sea and the sky. Fitzwilliam gave Arabella his jacket, and she pulled it tightly aro und her shoulders. "'Wherever the silver lives, the city is," she murmured softly. "What do you think that means?"
"Perhaps it is a town near a silver mine," Fitzwilliam suggested. "Maybe 'living is just another way of saying 'being mined.'"
"That is so ... unpoetic," Jean objected. "Maybe it means that everyone who seeks it out has precious metal on the brain, like it's all they think about. So they all disappear, and wind up together in this lost City of Gold."
"And maybe," Jack interrupted, "it's just-- oh, and this one will be hard to believe, mates, I'm sure--far, far too compli cated . . . Maybe it's a city, made of old." His eyes grew wide and distant, imagining not just roads paved with gold, but buildings built of it, and statues. Even things like chairs and tables.
" Remember what Mam said," Tumen reminded them, noticing the glow in their eyes. "It is not to be sought out."But despite this warning, all of them-- even Tumen--grew drowsy and fell asleep on the white sands of the Yucatan, dreaming of a golden town.
CHAPTER THREE
The sun had just begun to warm its way through the night's chill when the crew of the Barnacle was woken by a commotion.They opened their eyes to see the people of Tumen's village shouting and running-- mainly in their direction. One young man took the lead. He had a sharp nose and fierce black eyes, and something that looked suspiciously like a short spear in his hand. Jack's eyes popped open. "Oh, what now? Can I not have a moment's rest," Jack said.The boy with the spear was called Yaxun. Tumen frowned. The two boys had never gotten along, even in the best times."What has happened?" Tumen asked."You--you lead this filthy crew here-- especially that particularly filthy one with the rag on his head--and look what happened!" Yaxun shouted. "Or maybe it was you who stole the amulet. You dress like them now. You might as well be one of them!""Amulet? Not the Sun-and-Stars?" Tumen asked, hoping it wasn't true."Yes, the Sun-and-Stars amulet," an old woman said sorrowfully. "The same one the
"He is telling a story about the greatest treasure mankind has ever known," Tumen explained in a whisper."Is it cursed?" Jack asked drily. "Any cursed people guarding it? Cursed ingots that minted it, cursed cats that claim to be its sister? Because as you know, I've sworn off anything involving magic and curses. Give me a nice buried treasure chest. Pirate's loot. An unlocked bank. Something simple."Mam shook his head at Jack. "This is a treasure not to be sought out," Tumen translated.
"It is a City of Gold.""El Dorado!" Fitzwilliam said, perking up. "I have heard of the place. The Spanish lost many men in expeditions sent looking for it. An utter waste of reso urces," he said dismissively. T umen translated Mam's response:
"Not El Dorado. This is something far greater. This is another city.”
“ Well, where is it, man, I mean, Mam?" Jack said, frustrated. "It sounds like a right fine place to visit."Mam's black eyes grew unreadable as he looked at Jack. He spoke quietly. Tumen looked at him questionin gly, then said it in English. " Wherever the silver lives, the city is."A hush fell over the crowd; even the insects in the brush seemed to fall silent. The crew of the Barnacle shivered.The evening was soon over.
Villagers began to get up and go inside, retreating from the cold of the night. The bonfire died down to red and orange embers that glowed feebly against the blackness of the sea and the sky. Fitzwilliam gave Arabella his jacket, and she pulled it tightly aro und her shoulders. "'Wherever the silver lives, the city is," she murmured softly. "What do you think that means?"
"Perhaps it is a town near a silver mine," Fitzwilliam suggested. "Maybe 'living is just another way of saying 'being mined.'"
"That is so ... unpoetic," Jean objected. "Maybe it means that everyone who seeks it out has precious metal on the brain, like it's all they think about. So they all disappear, and wind up together in this lost City of Gold."
"And maybe," Jack interrupted, "it's just-- oh, and this one will be hard to believe, mates, I'm sure--far, far too compli cated . . . Maybe it's a city, made of old." His eyes grew wide and distant, imagining not just roads paved with gold, but buildings built of it, and statues. Even things like chairs and tables.
" Remember what Mam said," Tumen reminded them, noticing the glow in their eyes. "It is not to be sought out."But despite this warning, all of them-- even Tumen--grew drowsy and fell asleep on the white sands of the Yucatan, dreaming of a golden town.
CHAPTER THREE
The sun had just begun to warm its way through the night's chill when the crew of the Barnacle was woken by a commotion.They opened their eyes to see the people of Tumen's village shouting and running-- mainly in their direction. One young man took the lead. He had a sharp nose and fierce black eyes, and something that looked suspiciously like a short spear in his hand. Jack's eyes popped open. "Oh, what now? Can I not have a moment's rest," Jack said.The boy with the spear was called Yaxun. Tumen frowned. The two boys had never gotten along, even in the best times."What has happened?" Tumen asked."You--you lead this filthy crew here-- especially that particularly filthy one with the rag on his head--and look what happened!" Yaxun shouted. "Or maybe it was you who stole the amulet. You dress like them now. You might as well be one of them!""Amulet? Not the Sun-and-Stars?" Tumen asked, hoping it wasn't true."Yes, the Sun-and-Stars amulet," an old woman said sorrowfully. "The same one the
Similar Books
