فصل 65

CHAPTER 65

TRAPPED

THE COLUMN OF WARRIORS loped up the steep trail, single file, Fighting Prawn in the lead. The old chief gripped his spear in his right hand; a bow and a quiver of arrows were slung across his back. He ran with a steady, efficient stride; the younger warriors knew that he would not tire or stop to rest. Not with his children in danger.

Movement ahead on the trail. Without a word, the warriors melted into the jungle on either side, waiting, spears poised.

Then they heard voices. Children’s voices.

Fighting Prawn burst from the jungle and ran forward. Ahead on the trail were Little Scallop and the Lost Boys. The chief dropped to his knees in the mud and embraced his daughter. She was sobbing, her words incoherent. Fighting Prawn saw that, except for Nibs, the children were tied together, their hands behind their backs. He pulled his knife and quickly cut them free, counting them as he did.

“Where is Shining Pearl?” he said.

Little Scallop only sobbed harder.

“The men got her,” said Nibs. “She’s in the cave.” He told the chief what he had seen from his hiding place in the jungle: Shining Pearl cutting the other children loose from the tree, then being grabbed by Cheeky O’Neal; Mister Grin catching one of the men as O’Neal ran back into the cave.

“O’Neal?” said Fighting Prawn. “Are you sure?”

The children assured him that it was indeed O’Neal, as well as the other three men who’d been with him on the island, and some other men as well.

“They brought big boxes,” said Slightly.

“And golden suits,” added Tootles.

“So they were never shipwrecked at all,” said Fighting Prawn. “They were after the starstuff all along. Now we know why that ship is patrolling off the village. They want to draw our attention away while the raiding party removes the starstuff.”

He ordered two of his men to take the children back to the village. Then he and the other warriors hurried up the path. When they neared the clearing by the cave, they were met by Bold Abalone.

“They’re in the cave,” he told his father. “We can see torches. But we can’t get any closer, because Mister Grin is waiting outside. I think he got one of their men—we heard a scream—and now he wants more.”

“So they’re trapped in the cave,” said Fighting Prawn.

“Yes,” said Bold Abalone. “They can’t escape. When Mister Grin leaves, we can go in after them.”

“I wish it were that simple,” said Fighting Prawn.

“What do you mean?”

“They have Shining Pearl.”