washing over the side and onto the decks, and more violent thumps. It seemed as if the Hippogryph was being flung in all directions at the same time, but suddenly things calmed down, and the noises and splashes receded.
It was about half a minute before Joe realized that he was still on deck and that the ship was still afloat.
"Ely's the best captain on the river, that's for sure,.
Tura said calmly.
Slowly, the big man picked himself up off the deck and looked around. There seemed no sign of the terrible horde.
All was calm and bright once more. "Wha—where'd they go?.
"Into deep water, but they won't stay there long," Ely's strange, rasping voice responded from the rear. "That's why, as soon as I get us straightened out and back where I'm sure of my markings, we're gonna drop sail and run like mad. Having survived 'em on the way out, I sure don't want to be sunk by them on the way back in!.
Joe was confused, and looked to the mermaid for help.
"He brought us about and dropped the centerboard, among other things, bringing us to a temporary halt and aiming us in at the stampede. That made us a smaller Page 56 Chalker, Jack L - Vengeance of the Dancing Gods 74 JACK L.CHALKER VENGEANCE OF THE DANCING GODS 75 target," Tura explained. "It wouldn't stop us for long, but it was enough to allow him to break out and toss some fireworks we keep on board right in front of them, and that turned them just enough. A couple of them grazed us, but I won't know the real damage until I get a chance to go down and take a look..
Joe looked around. All was peaceful once more, although he could see some debris sticking up from the side of the ship near the bow. There was no question that they had indeed been hit, and his respect for Ely's abilities, no matter what his appearance and manner, went up enormously.
He stared at the far horizon, where the shore was barely visible, and said, "You know, there was something very fishy about that stampede..
"No, they're mammals, too..
He gave her a sharp look of disgust. "It's not bad enough I have to put up with one Marge, now I got two,.
he mumbled. Louder he said, "No, I mean the explosion.
We have to face facts here. There was no natural cause for that explosion, and it's timing was perfect. Somebody waited for us to come by and then blew it, hoping we'd be trampled—and it almost worked..
They were soon well past the danger area, and Tura was able to go over the side and check things out. Audra had already merged with the wood and reported no damage to her areas, but she could sense only that part of the ship made up of wood from her own tree. Certainly they were not taking on water, which was a relief.
"You know," Ely commented, coming back on deck, "that girl of yours can sleep through anything. If they'd split us open, she'd have gone down with the ship..
"It wouldn't matter," Joe told him. "As long as she wasn't hurt, she's as comfortable in water as anywhere else, or so I'm told. Otherwise fairies that fragile would all be dead. Still, somebody's out to get us, that's for sure..
Tura suddenly broke through the surface and leaped up to grab the rail, then hauled herself aboard. "Not too bad," she told them. "Some outer planking is pretty messed up, but the inner hull's sound. The only puncture is a few inches above the waterline and it's not very serious..
"We'll make Harmatuu tonight," the captain responded.
Page 57 Chalker, Jack L - Vengeance of the Dancing Gods "If we're lucky, we can get her patched enough there to take us all the way." He paused for a moment. "It might take a couple of days, though. Sorry, sir..
Joe thought it over. "I'm not too broke up over the delays, but I'm not sure—well, maybe I'm just suspicious.
Captain, is there any other town where we could make repairs other than Harmatuu?.
"Not safely. The next town south with a shipwright big enough to work on the
It was about half a minute before Joe realized that he was still on deck and that the ship was still afloat.
"Ely's the best captain on the river, that's for sure,.
Tura said calmly.
Slowly, the big man picked himself up off the deck and looked around. There seemed no sign of the terrible horde.
All was calm and bright once more. "Wha—where'd they go?.
"Into deep water, but they won't stay there long," Ely's strange, rasping voice responded from the rear. "That's why, as soon as I get us straightened out and back where I'm sure of my markings, we're gonna drop sail and run like mad. Having survived 'em on the way out, I sure don't want to be sunk by them on the way back in!.
Joe was confused, and looked to the mermaid for help.
"He brought us about and dropped the centerboard, among other things, bringing us to a temporary halt and aiming us in at the stampede. That made us a smaller Page 56 Chalker, Jack L - Vengeance of the Dancing Gods 74 JACK L.CHALKER VENGEANCE OF THE DANCING GODS 75 target," Tura explained. "It wouldn't stop us for long, but it was enough to allow him to break out and toss some fireworks we keep on board right in front of them, and that turned them just enough. A couple of them grazed us, but I won't know the real damage until I get a chance to go down and take a look..
Joe looked around. All was peaceful once more, although he could see some debris sticking up from the side of the ship near the bow. There was no question that they had indeed been hit, and his respect for Ely's abilities, no matter what his appearance and manner, went up enormously.
He stared at the far horizon, where the shore was barely visible, and said, "You know, there was something very fishy about that stampede..
"No, they're mammals, too..
He gave her a sharp look of disgust. "It's not bad enough I have to put up with one Marge, now I got two,.
he mumbled. Louder he said, "No, I mean the explosion.
We have to face facts here. There was no natural cause for that explosion, and it's timing was perfect. Somebody waited for us to come by and then blew it, hoping we'd be trampled—and it almost worked..
They were soon well past the danger area, and Tura was able to go over the side and check things out. Audra had already merged with the wood and reported no damage to her areas, but she could sense only that part of the ship made up of wood from her own tree. Certainly they were not taking on water, which was a relief.
"You know," Ely commented, coming back on deck, "that girl of yours can sleep through anything. If they'd split us open, she'd have gone down with the ship..
"It wouldn't matter," Joe told him. "As long as she wasn't hurt, she's as comfortable in water as anywhere else, or so I'm told. Otherwise fairies that fragile would all be dead. Still, somebody's out to get us, that's for sure..
Tura suddenly broke through the surface and leaped up to grab the rail, then hauled herself aboard. "Not too bad," she told them. "Some outer planking is pretty messed up, but the inner hull's sound. The only puncture is a few inches above the waterline and it's not very serious..
"We'll make Harmatuu tonight," the captain responded.
Page 57 Chalker, Jack L - Vengeance of the Dancing Gods "If we're lucky, we can get her patched enough there to take us all the way." He paused for a moment. "It might take a couple of days, though. Sorry, sir..
Joe thought it over. "I'm not too broke up over the delays, but I'm not sure—well, maybe I'm just suspicious.
Captain, is there any other town where we could make repairs other than Harmatuu?.
"Not safely. The next town south with a shipwright big enough to work on the
Similar Books
