Voyage of Slaves

Janos silenced the boy’s deluge of words with a wave. “Whoa, not so fast! Annalisa, run a bath, get some dry clothes for this muddy urchin and clean his knee up, he’s dripping mud and blood everywhere.”

Ben protested, “But there’s no time, they may be taken away over the border someplace, we’ve got to—”

Snaaap! The bullwhip cracked an inch from his lips as Janos interrupted, “You two would frighten the horses, looking like that. Now go and get cleaned and changed, then I’ll decide what to do. Don’t argue with me. Go!”

As they went, Ned made sure he brushed his mud-plastered coat up against Pandora, commenting maliciously,“This is all the fashion. Here, try some, everyone’s wearing it out there today!”

Spitting and yowling, the white Persian cat arched her muddied back.

Half an hour later, Ben, with a freshly bandaged knee, sat down beside the smuggler in the dining room. Annalisa had rigged him up from her slop chest, with some sailors’ clothes and a pair of cut-down sea boots. Ned’s fur was still glossy from the soap and water he had been rolling about in. They wolfed down cheese, bread and soup as they outlined the situation to Janos. She listened intently, then outlined a swift plan.

“Right, here’s what we’ll do! I’ll take just two wagons, six horses to each wagon, and an extra six for the cart. No fancy schemes, we’ll just hit them as hard and as fast as we can. That’s the best thing to do in a situation like this. Ben, you and your dog will be at the rear of the back wagon again, with Magda and Katya. It’ll be your job to pelt them with the bombs, create as much confusion as you can. I’ll get the six horses hitched up to the cart, it’ll go like lightning.”

Ned sent his master a thought. “What about Poppea?”

Ben explained about the troupe’s mare. Janos had the answer immediately. “I’ll cut her loose and tie her to the back of the cart, but she’ll have to keep up. Once we’re on the road, we’ll head northeast, for the convent at Muggia. That place is like a fort, I’m sure you and your friends will get sanctuary there. Well, how does that sound to you, boy?”

Ben’s clouded eyes began to gleam with the prospect of the daredevil idea. He handed over the pouch of gold coins to Janos. “It sounds great, friend, here’s my part of the bargain!”

She opened the pouch, extracting four more coins, and handed the rest back to him. “This is quite enough, you may need more gold before you’re all safe away. I’ll be leaving you at Muggia. Once you go into the convent, I’m off. The idea of being cooped up with a pile of nuns doesn’t sit too easy to me!”

Annalisa cleared away the dishes, chuckling drily. “On your way then, Sister Janos!”

The smuggler grinned. “I’ll see you when I return for the rest of my wagons and stock, Grandma!”

Outside, the drizzle had ended; it was a quiet, clear night. The Istrani Wolves saw to the harnessing of the extra horses, then piled into the two carts. Katya patted Ned and winked at Ben. “Well, what’s the orders?”

The strange boy laughed. “You’ll be smoking your mother’s pipe again, mate. We’re planning on attacking some Barbary slavers and freeing my friends.”

The big girl narrowed her eyes fiercely. “There should be more than just powder and smoke in those bombs, a load of musket balls and scrap iron, maybe. That’d put a stop to their slaving.”

Ned agreed mentally. “What a savage young creature— splendid idea, though. Blow old Miseryguts to smithereens, wouldn’t the world be a better place without him!”

There was no time for further discussion, as Janos Cabar leaped onto her black stallion and cracked the bullwhip. Reinforced by the extra horses, both wagons whirled off into the night.

31

OTTO TOOK THE TINY SCISSORS HE used for clipping his moustache and began working on the flooring of the cart. Signore Rizzoli, wakened from a half-slumber, stared at the strongman. “Herr Kassel, what are you doing?”

The big German placed a finger to his lips. “Keep your voice down. If I can get one of these boards loose, we could escape through the floor.”

La Lindi joined them. “But what about the guards outside? They’re still awake, aren’t they?”

Otto continued probing with the now-bent scissors. “Frau Lindi, it is two hours past midnight, and they are only men who have been awake all day. They must be half-asleep by now. It is a chance I am willing to take.”

A small fire glowed beneath a canvas awning set up between the boughs of a tree. Al Misurata and Ghigno sat under the canopy, taking turns to nap. The pirate kicked the Corsair lightly, passing him a flask of wine.

“Here, drink some of this, but stay awake. Let me know when Dreskar’s man shows up for his goods.” Huddling down into his cloak, Al Misurata closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest around him.