Read Online Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson - Free Book Online

Guardsman prisoner don’t know, neither. Just that it’s to go from the Queen of England to the King of Rundoon by the fastest ship afloat, under the heaviest guard. Whatever it is in there, it’s important enough to have two royals concerned about it.” Slank stared out to sea for a long moment, then looked back down at Preston and Harbuckle, who watched him fearful y, awaiting their fate. Another long moment passed.
    Final y, Slank spoke.
    “You’re pirate scum,” he said.
    “Yes, sir,” said Harbuckle, “but we …”
    “Shut up,” said Slank. “You’re pirate scum, and what I should do is throw you both over the side right now.” Harbuckle whimpered. Preston wet his pants, but nobody could tel , as his clothes were already soaked.
    “But I’m going to let you live,” said Slank.
    “THANK YOU, sir!” said Harbuckle. “A thousand …”
    “Shut up,” said Slank. “I’m going to let you live for now, because you might be useful. For now. Little Richard!” The giant loomed behind Slank, his whip coiled on his fat leather belt. “Take this pirate scum below. The rest of you men get back to work.”
    The crowd dispersed, the sailors murmuring about the drama they’d just watched. Peter edged his way toward Mol y, who was stil staring at the spot where Harbuckle had lain.
    “Mol y?” he said.
    She looked up at him, her face blank, her green eyes devoid of their usual sparkle.
    “What?” she said.
    “I, uh … I… I know your father is on the Wasp, ” he said.
    “Yes.”
    “Wel , I hope he’l be al right.”
    “Thank you.”
    Mol y turned to go. Peter could see she didn’t want to talk, but he burned with curiosity.
    “Mol y,” he said.
    She turned back.
    “I wanted to thank you for last night,” Peter said. “For helping me.”
    “You’re welcome.” She started to turn again, but Peter put his hand on her arm.
    “Wait,” he said. “How did … I mean, what were you doing in that room? What are they keeping in there? And did you see the rat? In the air? Did you see it?” Mol y was staring at him now.
    “Peter,” she said, “listen to me. This is very important. You mustn’t…”
    “MOLLY!” The two youngsters were suddenly separated by the massive form of Mrs. Bumbrake, her front side toward Mol y, leaving Peter face-to-face with her formidable backside. “I’ve told you a thousand times, you are not to be on this deck without me, and you are to stay away from the riffraff.”
    “But…”
    “No back talk, young lady! You come with me!” With Mol y in tow, Mrs. Bumbrake barged away, leaving behind a cloud of lavender.
    Peter watched them go.
    I mustn’t what?
    He drifted forward, toward a knot of sailors who were pretending to work while they gossiped. There was much to gossip about. There were the two rescued pirates, of course, but also something else, something that had happened last night, news of which was circulating around the ship.
    “… guarding the door,” one of the sailors was saying. “He says one minute he was wide awake, next minute he wakes up on the floor. Like there was a spel cast on him, he says.”
    Peter moved closer.
    “Magic spel ?” scoffed another sailor. “Not hardly. Too much rum, that’s your magic spel .”
    “No,” said the storytel er. “Not John. He don’t drink, not a drop. That’s why Slank give him the guard duty. No, he says something put him out, and when he woke up, there was people in the room, voices. So John goes running in there, and somebody runs right into him!”
    “Who?”
    “He didn’t see. It happened sudden, he says. But whoever it was, he trips John, and down John goes, headfirst into that trunk.”
    “What’s in that trunk, anyway?”
    “Dunno,” said the storytel er, “but whatever it is, Slank guards it like gold. So anyway, John’s trying to get up, and his head feels bust open, and he looks up, and then he sees it.” The storytel er paused dramatical y.
    “What?” asked one of the