Read Online Run Afoul by Joan Druett - Free Book Online

move that shifting him forcibly could lead to an unfortunate decline. Indeed, that Mr. Grimes was so conveniently close to Dr. Olliver was an advantage.
    As for the medication, he declared the choice was impeccable. Unfortunately, there was no Peruvian bark in the medical stores of the Vincennes, but hopefully Dr. Olliver’s stock would last until they arrived at Rio, as pilula cinchona composita, administered four times daily at the rate of two pills before breakfast, four before dinner, three before supper, and two more at bedtime, applied in conjunction with carbonate of ammonia, was an excellent prescription. And, forthwith, the two surgeons took themselves off to discuss a bottle of Madeira in the wardroom, leaving Wiki to contemplate Grimes, who glared balefully back.
    â€œIt was something in the food that felled me, and it was naught to do with overindulgence,” he hissed. “And I know the reason why I’m being poisoned!”
    â€œYou can’t possibly believe that!”
    â€œI collapsed when I used the chamber pot, something that’s never happened before. I’ve had the pneumonia, too, and I know the pain that afflicts me ain’t due to that—nor the state of my innards, neither! So get out of my stateroom, and don’t come back unless you’re accompanied by the captain, so I can state the true case to him.”
    There was no point in arguing further. Without another word, Wiki walked off, heading for the foredeck galley and Robert Festin. It was a strange reversal of fortune, he grimly mused—where Festin had wanted to sleep in his room, now he wished to berth with him.

Six
    Though Festin was nowhere near the captain’s galley on the foredeck, he was easily located, because his shouts of pain and defiance echoed up from the gun deck immediately below. Springing down the ladder and running through the dimness toward the common galley, Wiki sighted a bunch of seamen silhouetted against the fires, shouting savage imprecations and wielding angry fists.
    The man they were attacking was Robert Festin, so hunched down he could scarcely be seen in the center of the group, but defending himself with spirit. As Wiki rushed up, a couple of his attackers came hurtling out of the writhing heap to fall crashing to the planks, while another wave of men descended on the Acadian. Wiki could hear them grunting epithets—“Bloody poisoner! Kill us all with your foreign muck, will you?” Festin’s gasps of pain were audible, too, while his short, powerful arms were held up to cover his face.
    Wiki put down his head and barged into the middle of the group by sheer momentum and strength, shouldering away one man and fending off another with a palm in his face. Hard blows thumped against him, but in the blur of motion Wiki scarcely felt the impact. He glimpsed snarling faces as sailors turned to fight him off, but kept on going, shoving with his elbows and fists. In the gap that opened up he could see Festin crouched into a fighting stance.
    Wiki launched himself full length and tackled Festin about the thighs, bringing him down with a crash. They landed on the planks as one, while vicious boots lashed out. Wiki rolled them both through a thicket of legs toward the galley fires, taking a couple of kicks as he went. Then he shoved the panting Festin away, and lunged to his feet with the hearth at his back, fists up and braced to meet the oncoming rush.
    Belatedly, he heard Lieutenant Forsythe’s loud yelling, coming fast from the amidships part of the deck. The attackers stopped dead, then made a precipitate dash into the dark shadows on either side. In contrast to the previous racket, the sounds of their retreat were as quiet as the pattering of rats. Forsythe’s shouts and rapid steps were very noisy by comparison. By the time he arrived, the last of them had vanished.
    The Virginian’s face was red with outrage, and his speaking trumpet was gripped so