Read Online The Adventures of Radisson. Back to the New World by Martin Fournier - Free Book Online

oaf!”
    The pain was so sharp it almost paralyzed Radisson’s left arm. He managed to sidestep a second blow.
    â€œRun my barge aground, will you? I’ll teach you, you little swine! Take that! And that!”
    Radisson straightened up, grabbed Touchet by the arm and used the boatman’s momentum to fling him onto the deck. He immobilized him, bringing his full weight down onto him as he grabbed him by the throat with one hand and drew his knife with the other. Touchet struggled to break free. Radisson thrust the tip of the knife against his fat cheek and spat furiously into his ear:
    â€œOne more move and I’ll cut your face!”
    Touchet stopped struggling straight away, dumbfounded that his young passenger was armed and had landed him on his back so easily. Radisson tightened his stranglehold, half-smothering his captain and pushing him ever closer to the water. Touchet’s back was pressed hard against the boat’s side, his head dangling out into the void.
    â€œI’ll drown you,” Radisson threatened him.
    Touchet groaned feebly. “Have mercy!”
    â€œWhy? Now why would I have mercy on you? You’re the swine! Nobody hits me, you got it? Nobody!”
    Touchet remained precariously balanced between the deck and the water. Radisson held himself back, not wanting to cut his cheek.
    â€œNow listen up, you brute,” he snarled, shoving Touchet down nearer to the water, close to the point of no return. “Swear at me once more—once more!—or even look like you’re going to hit me and I’ll cut you up into little pieces and feed you to the fish! Nobody will ever hear from you again and nobody will ever know I was the one who cut you up. Am I making myself clear?”
    â€œYes, yes,” gasped Touchet, half-strangled. “Just let me go.”
    â€œNow you’re going to bring me to Orléans just like we said because you and I form quite the team, don’t we? You’re going to stay in your end of the boat at the helm and I’m going to stay up front. You keep your distance or else I’ll put you on a spit like a chicken. Got it?”
    Touchet nodded imperceptibly. But Radisson wasn’t done yet. He shoved the captain overboard, catching him by the scruff of the neck as he fell toward the water. Slamming his body against the hull, he held him up by the throat with his forearm, the tip of his knife still pressed against his cheek.
    â€œDidn’t hear you. Do. You. Understand?”
    â€œHave mercy,” implored Touchet. “I’ll do anything you ask.”
    â€œYou’ll bring me to Orléans?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYou won’t ever raise a hand to me again? You’ll stop shouting at me?”
    â€œI promise. Just let me get back to my feet now. Please. I’m frightened. I don’t know how to swim.”
    â€œJust one more thing. You can see that your boat’s still moving. It just needs a shove to set it on its way again. There was no need to hit me for that. So, if I let you come back on board, you can do the pushing. Then, as soon as the barge is free, you’ll find a place nearby for us to spend the night. We won’t talk about what just happened. Tomorrow morning we’ll leave like everything’s just fine. OK?”
    â€œOK.”
    * * *
    The confrontation had cleared the air between the two men. They barely exchanged another word, but worked together better than before. A night’s sleep helped ease the tension. There was now sufficient trust between them. Circumstances had made them partners, not rivals. But they had nothing else in common.
    In many places, navigating was tougher than usual. It had barely rained for two months and the further upriver they went, the lower the water level was. The river was much shallower than normal. Whenever the wind blew, they had to cast anchor so the current wouldn’t sweep them out of the narrow channel they could