فصل 15

CHAPTER 15

HOOK’S PLAN

THE EASTERN HORIZON HAD barely begun to lighten with the first pink hint of dawn when the mournful sound of the conch horn came echoing down the mountain.

The Mollusks had been expecting it; most had been up all night waiting for it. Yet it still came as a shock, confirming the brutal reality: the attack was coming.

Fighting Prawn, followed by a half dozen of his senior warriors, stood at the edge of a rock outcropping on a steep cliff overlooking the eastern side of the island. He stared out at a place where the indigo water met the lightening sky. His eyesight was still superb, but it was a minute before he could see the black shapes of the lead canoes. He stood motionless, watching as more canoes came into view, then more, then still more, until they seemed to cover the horizon. Each canoe, he saw, carried ten men at least, perhaps more. Fighting Prawn did not allow his face to betray the despair he felt upon seeing the size of the attacking force. But he saw the worry in the eyes of his men as he turned to face them.

In a calm voice, he grunted a brief command. There was little to say: his men knew what to do. They trotted off, heading for the various stations from which they would try to defend their island.

Fighting Prawn, alone now, turned back to the sea and watched the flotilla of black canoes coming relentlessly closer, bringing terror and death to his peaceful island.

High above the outcropping where Fighting Prawn stood, a pirate by the name of Boggs was hidden in the foliage near the top of the island’s mountain ridge. He was also looking at the oncoming canoes and trying to count them, but he gave up after reaching thirty-nine, which was the highest number he knew. Then he turned and began running toward the pirates’ side of the island.

It took him nearly an hour to reach the pirate camp. Out of breath, he ran straight to Hook’s hut and gasped out the news.

“Canoes, Cap’n. Coming from the east. Big ones. Lots of ’em. A war party is what it looks like.”

Hook was on his feet in an instant, his close-set black eyes glittering.

“How many canoes?” he rasped.

“More’n thirty-nine,” said Boggs. “A LOT more.”

“Big ones, you say?”

“Aye, Cap’n. Each carrying ten men.”

“SMEE!” bellowed Hook, stepping out from his hut.

“Coming, Cap’n!” said Smee, approaching the hut at a rapid waddle, mango juice dribbling from his chin.

“Round up a small party of the best men,” said Hook. “Tell them to bring their weapons and as much food and water as they can carry. We’re getting off this cursed island.”

“We are?” said Smee. “How?”

“Boggs here has spied a war party of savages approaching in canoes,” said Hook. “We’re going to borrow some of their canoes and take our leave of this wretched place.”

“But, Cap’n,” said Smee, frowning. “Do you think the savages will let us borrow their canoes?”

Hook stared at Smee for three long seconds.

“Smee,” he said finally.

“Aye, Cap’n?”

“You have the brain of a sea urchin.”

“Aye, Cap’n.”

“We ain’t going to ask the savages to borrow their canoes, you idjit. We wait until they’s fighting the local savages. While they ain’t looking, we slip off in their canoes.”

“Ah!” said Smee, brightening. “It’s a fine plan, Cap’n.”

“Of course it is,” said Hook. “Now assemble the men.”

As Smee waddled off, Hook allowed himself a moment to reflect upon his genius and savor the knowledge that, within a few hours, he would be leaving this hideous island behind forever. His only regret was that he would not have a chance to get his revenge on that cursed flying boy.