Voyage of Slaves

Ned sprang at him without warning, burying his teeth in the slave driver’s baggy behind. Bomba shrieked in agonised shock. Wrenching himself around, he grabbed the dog’s hind legs. However, Ned hung grimly on to his enemy’s rear end. They both fell over heavily, with the dog kicking furiously to free his paws. Bomba let go of Ned, unsheathing an ornate curved dagger from his waistband. As Poppea began rearing and whinnying, Serafina went up with her, pulling on the reins in an attempt to calm the panicked mare. Ben avoided the flailing hooves, circling the choking dust cloud that enveloped the combatants as he sought an opening.

Seeing Bomba raise the dagger high, Ben jumped in, seizing the big man’s arm with both hands. Ned was still snarling like an enraged wolf, digging his teeth into the foeman’s buttock.

Seemingly from nowhere, Otto appeared in the midst of the fray. Ben felt like a small child as he was pulled off Bomba and tucked under the strongman’s arm. In the same instant, the German stamped his foot down on Bomba’s wrist, trapping both him and the dagger to the ground. Thrusting Ben to one side, Otto broke the hold of Ned’s jaws, dragging him free of the screeching slave driver. Kicking the knife away, Otto took the bridle from Serafina. He held the mare still by main force, whispering softly to her, “Easy, Fräulein Poppea, I am here now!” The big German helped Ben to his feet. “Are you alright, is your dog hurt?”

Ben hugged Ned, running a hand over him as the dog chuckled mentally. “Stop that, it tickles!”

The boy was still shaking as he replied to his rescuer. “No harm done, we’re fine, thank you, sir!”

Bomba had risen to his knees, his face creased with pain as he gingerly touched his bottom to assess the damage.

The German strongman shot out a ham-like hand; gripping Bomba by the throat, he hauled him upright. Otto’s voice was dangerously calm.

“I will talk with you now. Listen carefully, Dummkopf,²⁰ keep away from my friends, far away, or I will kill you. Verstanden,²¹ mein Herr?” As he talked, Otto tightened his grip, lifting Bomba until he was poised on tiptoe.

The slave driver’s face was turning an unhealthy purple, and his eyes were beginning to bulge. He managed to gasp out, “Gyuurrrsssh!”

Serafina grasped her friend’s outstretched arm, pleading, “Please don’t kill him, Otto. Please!”

The strongman gave Bomba a mighty shove backward. He hit the ground with a bump, raising another dustcloud. Turning away, Otto shook his huge, shaven head, smiling at the girl.

“Nein, nein, Mädchen, I would not kill him in front of one so gentle. Not this time, at least.” Leaning over the defeated slave driver, Otto twisted his ear hard. “Say thank you to the pretty girl for saving your worthless life. Speak up, I can’t hear you!”

With his head twisted to one side and tears coursing through his dust-coated face, the big man babbled out as Otto applied more pressure to his ear, “Thank you thank you thank you! Yeeeeaaaargh!”

The strongman released him. Retrieving the riding crop, he snapped it like a twig, tucking the broken halves in Bomba’s waistband. “You may go now!”

Ben read Ned’s thoughts as they watched the slave driver limping off, clutching his bottom. “Yukk! I think I’ll wash my mouth out at the trough. Three cheers for our big Otto, eh mate?”

Ben patted dust from his dog’s flank. “Aye, but it’s thanks to you, too, mate. That villain was going to flog me, and he would have, but for you!”

Serafina wiped the dust from Ben’s face with her silk scarf. “You were very brave. Bomba is such a big man!”

Ned’s indignant thoughts intruded on Ben’s mind. “Er, excuse me, but what about the faithful dog’s part in all this? Go on, you tell her, mate!”

But Ben did not have to, the girl was already fussing over Ned. “You were so fierce and courageous, good boy, Ned!”

The black Labrador licked her hand cheerfully. “Ah, that’s better. Us heroic dogs deserve our due, y’know!”

Calling to him, Serafina led Poppea off to the trough at the rear of the stables. “Come on, boy, I think you should wash your mouth out!”

Wagging his tail, Ned bounded after her. “Hah, she’s a mind reader, too. I think we should ask her to join our act, Ben. The Magnificent Neddo, the Mysterious Benno, and the Sensational Serafina. Sounds rather good, eh?”

11

MIDMORNING OF THE FOLLOWING DAY found the troupe outside their guest quarters. They were rehearsing some routines, when the stern-faced Jasmina came with news from Al Misurata for Augusto Rizzoli. “My master orders me to inform you there will be no entertainment today. You will be leaving here to board his ship. Pack all your belongings, and be ready to travel this evening after the noon heat dies down.”

Ben was helping Serafina to groom Poppea. He scratched the mare’s muzzle. “Do you hear that, old girl? You’re going to become a sea horse shortly.”