A Children's Tale Read Free

behind the rocks as well. William tossed a half-filled, grimy bag into the snow.
    "Grabbed a few trinkets from below decks. Never know when somethin' might come in handy. If they come back," William gestured towards the cloudy, gray sky overhead. “What were they wantin' anyways, Cap'n?”
    Hunter cast an apprehensive glance overhead. "I daresay have no idea. It could have been a band of raiders who happened upon the wreck and thought searching it would be simpler with no survivors. Perhaps smugglers who frequent the area. If luck is with us, they won't be a concern either way. O'Falllon, wind that opti-telegraphic of yours and see if the Griffin is paying attention."
    "Aye, Cap'n."
    From his belt pouch, O'Fallon removed a rectangular brass box slightly longer than eight inches on the long side by four inches. Pushing a brass rivet, a small wood and brass 'S' shaped handle extended from the side with a pop sound. O'Fallon cranked the handle with a few quick turns until a pair of lights glowed dimly on the faceplate. Below the lights, O'Fallon opened a small panel. Using the few undersized typewriter keys there he tapped out a hailing message.
    "If they be sailin' within range, Cap'n, they'll answer."
    " Griffin here. Anyone found?"
    "Be findin' two an' then some. There be a pair o' steambats takin' bites at us, can ye be takin' a swat at 'em?"
    "Been in a scrape also, as soon as we patch a few holes we'll be underway to your location."
    The four of them exchanged a look, O'Fallon keyed the device again. "Say again Griffin ?"
    Suddenly a bullet ripped the opti-telegraphic from O'Fallon's hand. The device showered a bright flash of sparks and electricity before it pitched into the snow. Miles and Angela screamed and huddled close while the crew drew weapons with an eye to the rocks above.
    "Where?" Hunter growled while William eased himself over to the children and spoke quietly to try and ease their terror.
    In answer, a hail of bullets hammered the rocks around them. Chips and splinters of gravel rained down and flew past their faces. Through the chaos, Moira spotted figures just over seventy yards off and upwards among the rocks. With no time to speak, she aimed her long-barreled Army Colt and fired, sending a .44 caliber round towards the rocks. Quickly, the others followed her lead with the sharp explosions of gunfire. In seconds the firefight stopped with acrid gun smoke filling the air.
    William looked up and around carefully, "Them 'bats still there?"
    Moira waved him quiet then nodded over the faint sounds of stumbling in the packed snow. "They be off findin' a place ta lick their wounds. So, they're gone for now. The thing that makes me itch be that they found us here. How'd they be knowin'? Them fliers haven't had the time to set down anywhere."
Hunter opened the cylinder to reload his revolver, "I was pondering that also. They had to have been waiting, which means we were set up for some reason." He dropped the last bullet in and clicked the cylinder shut. "We'll find out who that was soon enough, once we're back aboard the Griffin ."
    William voice shook slightly and the two children sobbing caught the captain's ears. "Cap'n ..." was all he managed.
A few feet from William, lay O'Fallon face down. A stain of red slowly pooled beneath him in the snow.
    Hunter swore softly under his breath. "William, get your medical bag, we need to bandage him before we can get him to shelter and us away from here."
    William nodded grimly, yet still speechless, and withdrew a small leather wrapped parcel from his shoulder bag before he got to work.
     
     

Chapter 4
     
    K rumer Whitehorse, first mate of the Brass Griffin , slammed a calloused fist against the rough-hewn table below deck. The opti-telegraphic on the table shuddered from the vibration, rattling its mainspring and battery connection. As if in protest, the brass plated device sparked and shuddered before its faceplate lights grew dim.
"O'Fallon? O'Fallon!"
    Tonks