“Blackeye, you can't run around town with no pants on.”
Blackeye grinned. The other tiddlins began to giggle.
“Shhh!”
hissed Snowbone. “You're being very rude. This lady is trying to turn us into proper Ashenpeakers, and all you can think about is bare bottoms.” She turned to the wives. “I'm listening,” she said, picking up her needle. “You can begin. And
you,”
she added, looking at Blackeye, “can behave.” With that, she winked, and the lesson began.
By sundown, the tiddlins had learned many vital skills. They had also been given everything they would need and much, much more; Lord Fox had been extremely generous. But then,unexpectedly, the pirate captain sauntered over to Snowbone and said, “There's just one more thing. Pick a couple of chums, there's a good girl, and then we can go.”
Snowbone's eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure she liked this “good girl” business. But she did as she was told. She summoned Blackeye and then Fudge. Fudge was a tall tiddlin with no visible wood grain on his body. He had some faint swirls on the palms of his hands, but other than that he was a solid block of buttery brown.
To the tiddlins' surprise, Lord Fox gave them each a lantern and an empty sack. Then he led them along the beach till they came to a cave mouth set deep within the cliffs.
“Come,” he said, and he lifted his lantern high and entered.
The tiddlins followed. On and on they went, stumbling down a long, dark tunnel, wondering where it would end, when suddenly they emerged into an enormous cave—and it was stuffed to the roof with weaponry. Knives, crossbows, cutlasses, spears, shields, slings, daggers, swords … Guns too, though the pirates didn't use them much, preferring the polished elegance of a blade.
“Whoa!”
said Blackeye, speaking for them all. “Where did you get all this?”
“We plunder several ships a year,” said Lord Fox. “So we always have more weapons than we can possibly use. Help yourselves.” And with a flourish, he stepped aside.
The tiddlins wavered. There was so much to choose from! The hoard even included cannons, though how the pirates had managed to drag them from the beach was anyone's guess.
But then, in the glow of the lanterns, Snowbone spotted a jeweled dagger … a carved bow … a pistol small enough to fither hand … and that was it. She pounced on the pile like a dog on a molehill. Dig, dig, dig, she went, deeper and deeper into the hoard, until nothing could be seen but a little wooden bottom, wiggling in excitement, while Blackeye and Fudge burrowed beside her, determined to find the best gun, the brightest sword, the sharpest blade.
All too soon the sacks were filled. It was time to go. But the tiddlins didn't mind. They had treasure! As they quick-marched back along the beach, with their booty slung over their shoulders, their grins were brighter than their lanterns. They were real pirates now.
Chapter 6
he next morning, the weather was appalling. Rain fell endlessly from a sodden sky and a bitter wind whipped across the beach, harrying the tiddlins as they packed boxes and bundles into the longboats, ready for their journey to Ashenpeake. Snowbone couldn't believe their adventure was starting so miserably She had hoped for a gorgeous day, with the pirate families standing on the beach waving them farewell. Instead, there was nothing but a squally, fling-'em-in-anyhow mess of a departure, with no one venturing out into the rain to say good-bye.
Snowbone sighed and clambered into one of the longboats. She had Mouse beside her and a boy with sticky-out teeth. Looking across at one of the other boats, she saw Blackeye, wedged in tightly beside Barkbelly. She waved.
Then the boats were pushed onto the water, the pirates pulled on the oars and they were off, heading over the sea to Ashenpeake. Snowbone thought she would burst with excitement. What an adventure this was! Her thoughts were noisy as gulls, flapping round inside her head.
We
Blackeye grinned. The other tiddlins began to giggle.
“Shhh!”
hissed Snowbone. “You're being very rude. This lady is trying to turn us into proper Ashenpeakers, and all you can think about is bare bottoms.” She turned to the wives. “I'm listening,” she said, picking up her needle. “You can begin. And
you,”
she added, looking at Blackeye, “can behave.” With that, she winked, and the lesson began.
By sundown, the tiddlins had learned many vital skills. They had also been given everything they would need and much, much more; Lord Fox had been extremely generous. But then,unexpectedly, the pirate captain sauntered over to Snowbone and said, “There's just one more thing. Pick a couple of chums, there's a good girl, and then we can go.”
Snowbone's eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure she liked this “good girl” business. But she did as she was told. She summoned Blackeye and then Fudge. Fudge was a tall tiddlin with no visible wood grain on his body. He had some faint swirls on the palms of his hands, but other than that he was a solid block of buttery brown.
To the tiddlins' surprise, Lord Fox gave them each a lantern and an empty sack. Then he led them along the beach till they came to a cave mouth set deep within the cliffs.
“Come,” he said, and he lifted his lantern high and entered.
The tiddlins followed. On and on they went, stumbling down a long, dark tunnel, wondering where it would end, when suddenly they emerged into an enormous cave—and it was stuffed to the roof with weaponry. Knives, crossbows, cutlasses, spears, shields, slings, daggers, swords … Guns too, though the pirates didn't use them much, preferring the polished elegance of a blade.
“Whoa!”
said Blackeye, speaking for them all. “Where did you get all this?”
“We plunder several ships a year,” said Lord Fox. “So we always have more weapons than we can possibly use. Help yourselves.” And with a flourish, he stepped aside.
The tiddlins wavered. There was so much to choose from! The hoard even included cannons, though how the pirates had managed to drag them from the beach was anyone's guess.
But then, in the glow of the lanterns, Snowbone spotted a jeweled dagger … a carved bow … a pistol small enough to fither hand … and that was it. She pounced on the pile like a dog on a molehill. Dig, dig, dig, she went, deeper and deeper into the hoard, until nothing could be seen but a little wooden bottom, wiggling in excitement, while Blackeye and Fudge burrowed beside her, determined to find the best gun, the brightest sword, the sharpest blade.
All too soon the sacks were filled. It was time to go. But the tiddlins didn't mind. They had treasure! As they quick-marched back along the beach, with their booty slung over their shoulders, their grins were brighter than their lanterns. They were real pirates now.
Chapter 6
he next morning, the weather was appalling. Rain fell endlessly from a sodden sky and a bitter wind whipped across the beach, harrying the tiddlins as they packed boxes and bundles into the longboats, ready for their journey to Ashenpeake. Snowbone couldn't believe their adventure was starting so miserably She had hoped for a gorgeous day, with the pirate families standing on the beach waving them farewell. Instead, there was nothing but a squally, fling-'em-in-anyhow mess of a departure, with no one venturing out into the rain to say good-bye.
Snowbone sighed and clambered into one of the longboats. She had Mouse beside her and a boy with sticky-out teeth. Looking across at one of the other boats, she saw Blackeye, wedged in tightly beside Barkbelly. She waved.
Then the boats were pushed onto the water, the pirates pulled on the oars and they were off, heading over the sea to Ashenpeake. Snowbone thought she would burst with excitement. What an adventure this was! Her thoughts were noisy as gulls, flapping round inside her head.
We