فصل 50

CHAPTER 50

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

PETER AND TINK, keeping to the shadows, flew up the side of the massive palace-compound wall, away from the guard towers. The moon hung low on the horizon, but the heavens above were coming alive. Fiery meteors streaked across the sky every few seconds in a dazzling display.

Peter poked his head over the wall and surveyed the scene. He saw the palace courtyard illuminated by a large ring of torches on poles thrust into the ground; in the center of the torch-lit ring stood the rocket, next to which a scaffold had been erected. Slightly and the other boys were lugging buckets of black powder from a distant wagon to the rocket. There were soldiers everywhere, most of them holding rifles.

As Peter and Tink watched, Slightly and the other boys finished loading the powder. Viktor Glotz shouted an order, and two soldiers appeared carrying a cage containing a monkey.

Franklin! chimed Tink.

“Who’s Franklin?” said Peter.

The monkey, said Tink. I know him.

“Not well, I hope,” Peter said grimly. “It appears he’s going to steer the rocket.”

He’s a nice monkey, said Tink.

They watched as Glotz, aided by Slightly and Tootles, climbed the scaffold and put Franklin into his compartment near the top of the rocket. After they descended, Glotz had soldiers bring the fuse roll.

“He’ll be putting the fuse in soon,” muttered Peter. “Tink, I’ve got to get down there.”

Tink fluttered into his face. They’ll shoot you.

Peter nodded, looking at the soldiers. “If I fly in, they will,” he said. “I need another way.” His eyes scanned the courtyard. The powder wagon was being drawn away. Trudging behind it, surrounded by guards, were Slightly and three other boys. They turned right, heading toward the dungeon. Peter frowned. Then he pushed away from the wall, hovering in the darkness.

What are you doing! chimed Tink.

“Thinking.”

About what?

“About Slightly and the other boys. I bet they’re going to get the starstuff to load onto the rocket. Glotz and Zarboff don’t dare go near it themselves.”

So?

“So,” said Peter, “they’ll be coming back with the trunk.”

So?

But Peter was gone, zooming low along the outside of the wall. In an instant Tink was after him, a tiny blur of light, angrily chiming questions that for the moment went unanswered.