فصل 61

CHAPTER 61

THE SANDAL

BOLD ABALONE STOOD ON THE BEACH, staring out into the foaming sea, holding a woven grass sandal. It had been brought to him by one of the warriors searching the edge of the jungle by torchlight.

Bold Abalone recognized the sandal. It belonged to his sister, Little Scallop. His heart was knotted in his chest. He prayed that his sister was safe on the island somewhere, not out in the raging water. He could not bear the thought of having to tell his father.

He was interrupted by a shout from one of the warriors, waving at him from down the beach. Bold Abalone sprinted to him, hoping for word of his sisters. Instead, the man told him that the searchers had found a boat.

“Show me,” said Bold Abalone.

They ran along the beach to the mouth of Fire Creek. Bold Abalone waded up the creek bed to where some men were waiting. They showed him the launch, partially covered with leaves and ferns; the rain had washed some away, enabling the searchers to spot it. It was a good-sized boat, capable of carrying a dozen men. It had obviously taken a lot of effort to drag the boat into the creek. Whoever had put it there clearly did not want their presence known.

Bold Abalone ordered his men to search the jungle nearby. Then he stared at the launch, his mind swarming with questions. Who had brought the boat, and where were they now? Did this have something to do with the strange ship patrolling offshore near the village? Was it connected to the disappearance of the children?

A shout from the jungle; his men had found tracks. Bold Abalone ran to look. Like all Mollusk warriors, he was expert at reading tracks. A glance by torchlight told him that a large group had passed through recently. It included men, some of whom were carrying something heavy, causing their shoes to sink deep into the mud.

The group also included children, one of whom was missing a sandal.

Bold Abalone shouted orders. Two men were to stay and watch the launch. Two others—his fastest runners—would return to the village to inform Fighting Prawn. Bold Abalone would take his best tracker and follow the intruders up the mountain trail. As they started into the jungle, Bold Abalone thought about his sisters somewhere on the mountain, and about Mister Grin, who was likely to be prowling tonight.

Bold Abalone clutched the sandal tightly in his hand, and quickened his pace.