Sargasso Skies Read Free Page B

“I could do with some food,” she said. “Hey!” she yelled. “Jailers! Weirdos! Whatever you are! How about something to eat and drink around here?”
    Trundle was just about able to make out their surroundings from the weak light that filtered in through the cracked and broken planks of the walls.
    â€œDo you think they might have killed Jack?” Trundle asked.
    â€œPossibly,” said Esmeralda. “Or they might have just left him there to be eaten by those lizards. Who knows?”
    â€œOr he could be chained up somewhere else aboard this old hulk!” Trundle groaned. “Being taunted and tormented by those dreadful creatures.”
    â€œI wouldn’t be at all surprised!”
    â€œOh dear,” moaned Trundle. “Oh, my!”
    He was about to add, “Oh, calamity!” when he heard the clinking of a key in a lock.
    â€œHere they come again,” growled Esmeralda. “Leave this to me, Trundle. I’ll tell ’em what’s what!”
    Trundle looked unhappily at her. Telling them what’s what had gotten them into this pickle in the first place. He dreaded to think what trouble more of Esmeralda’s plain speaking might get them into.
    The door swung wide.
    â€œHello there, you two!” said a familiar voice as Jack came into their prison bearing a food-laden tray in his paws. “I thought you might be a bit peckish!”
    â€œJack!” gasped Trundle in delight. “We thought you might be dead!”
    â€œNo,” beamed Jack, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m not dead at all! In fact, I’m in the pink, my friends! I’m in the very pinkest of the pink!”

J ack gave the two captives a sympathetic look as he placed the tray on the floor between them. “You don’t look too comfortable,” he said. “It must be rotten to be imprisoned down here while there’s so much exciting stuff going on.”
    Esmeralda gave him an irritated look. “It is!” she said. “And how come you aren’t down here with us?”
    â€œThat’s simple,” chuckled Jack, lifting a mug to Trundle’s lips and tilting it so he could drink. “I agreed to help Count Leopold.” He picked up a hunk of bread. “Care for a bite?”
    â€œWhat do you mean, you agreed to help Count Leopold?” growled Esmeralda. “Who is Count Leopold? And what exactly are you helping him do?”
    â€œOh, it’s building and decorating work, mostly, at the moment, along with a spot of practicing,” said Jack, popping a chunk of bread into Esmeralda’s mouth. “I’ve joined the count’s orchestra, you know. Second rebec, that’s me.”
    â€œIs there any way you can get us out of here?” asked Trundle.
    Jack tutted. “If you two hadn’t been so uncooperative, you’d be a lot better off right now.” He looked at Trundle. “You, waving your sword about, and Esmeralda being rude and sarcastic. I’m not surprised the count’s people took offense.”
    â€œWould it help if we said we were sorry?” asked Trundle.
    â€œIt might,” said Jack. “He’s a decent sort of fellow, really. I think if you apologize and tell him you’re willing to work for him, you’ll be out of here in a trice!”
    â€œThen we’ll apologize,” said Trundle.
    â€œWe won’t!” insisted Esmeralda. “Tell him to release us right now! Tell him we have an important quest to be getting on with!”
    â€œI will if you like.” Jack sighed. “But if you insist on being stubborn, you’ll be left down here permanently. And what about the quest then, eh?”
    Trundle gave Esmeralda a stern look. “We will apologize,” he said. “We will be polite and charming and pleasant. Won’t we?”
    â€œYes,” huffed Esmeralda. “Anything to get out of this putrid