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Authors: John Bellairs
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someone who is an enemy of the Turks. Then again it may belong to someone elseâyou never can tell."
The professor jumped. "A ship? God's teeth, man, are you serious?" Frantically he tugged at the ropes that bound his wrists.
"I was never more serious in my life," said Brewster calmly. "My eyes are quite good for seeing in the dark, and there is definitely a galley coming this way."
The professor's mind was racing. "If this is the middle of Aprilâand it may very well beâthen there are Venetian ships in these waters," he exclaimed hopefully. "The Republic of Venice sent ships to help the city of Constantinople, and some of them arrived and waited for the seige at the end of May. Lord in heaven, I hope I'm right!"
Johnny's heart leaped. He read a lot, and he knew that the city of Venice in Italy had once been a country all by itself. It had also been the center of an empire, controlled by Venice's powerful fleet. The Venetians were just about the best sailors in the world, and they were always fighting with the Turks to see who would control the Mediterranean Sea. If the ship that was coming toward them was from Venice, maybe they would be rescued.
Fergie had been silent for a long time, but he was not sitting around doing nothing. He was struggling with his bound hands to see if he could fish his switchblade knife out of his hip pocket. Unfortunately the pocket was buttoned, and that made things a little harder. After several unsuccessful tries he finally managed to unbutton the pocket and catch the handle of the knife between two fingers of his left hand. Slowly, carefully, he drew the knife out, and then he found the button and snapped the blade open.
"Scootch over here, John baby," he whispered, "and I'll see if I can cut your hands loose."
Johnny struggled around and held his hands out behind him, and soon he felt Fergie's knife sawing at the rope on his wrists. It seemed to take forever, and Johnny kept worrying that the Turks would notice what was going on. However, there was not much chance of that. They were running back and forth, getting ready for battle. Trumpets brayed and drums rattled, and loud, defiant shouts rang out. Meanwhile Fergie sawed away, and finally the last strand of rope parted and Johnny's hands were free. But just as that happened, a muffled roar was heard in the distance, and a ghostly plume of spray rose from the water near the Turkish ship's bow.
"Hey, they are on our side!" Fergie crowed. He held the knife out behind him, and soon Johnny was using the switchblade to cut loose his friend and then the professor. At last the three of them were free. Rubbing his sore hands, the professor jumped up. But he saw the soldiers running to and fro on the deck, and he quickly dropped back down to his knees.
"We've got to lie low for a bit," he whispered hoarsely. "When the battle starts, we'll make a run for it and see if we can get to my valise."
Johnny and Fergie crouched down under the shadow of the ship's rail as they heard a cannonball whiz past and crash into the galley's tall mast. With a loud creaking and groaning the mast fell, and the useless sail lay flapping wildly on the deck. A second later a loud crash split the air, as the ram on the enemy galley's prow smashed into the side of the Turkish ship. There was a long grinding and crunching sound, as oars broke and large splinters of wood flew in all directions. Johnny and his friends ran toward the shattered stump of the mast, and the professor got his hands on the valise. Quickly he tossed his sword to Johnny.
"Here! Defend yourself!" he yelled, but Johnny just clutched the sheathed sword in terror as men from the other ship poured over the rail onto the deck of the Turkish galley. All around him swords flashed, as the sailors and soldiers from the two ships fought desperately. Suddenly Johnny felt a sharp pain in his right arm. He looked down and saw that his sleeve was bloody, and when he looked up again, he saw a
The professor jumped. "A ship? God's teeth, man, are you serious?" Frantically he tugged at the ropes that bound his wrists.
"I was never more serious in my life," said Brewster calmly. "My eyes are quite good for seeing in the dark, and there is definitely a galley coming this way."
The professor's mind was racing. "If this is the middle of Aprilâand it may very well beâthen there are Venetian ships in these waters," he exclaimed hopefully. "The Republic of Venice sent ships to help the city of Constantinople, and some of them arrived and waited for the seige at the end of May. Lord in heaven, I hope I'm right!"
Johnny's heart leaped. He read a lot, and he knew that the city of Venice in Italy had once been a country all by itself. It had also been the center of an empire, controlled by Venice's powerful fleet. The Venetians were just about the best sailors in the world, and they were always fighting with the Turks to see who would control the Mediterranean Sea. If the ship that was coming toward them was from Venice, maybe they would be rescued.
Fergie had been silent for a long time, but he was not sitting around doing nothing. He was struggling with his bound hands to see if he could fish his switchblade knife out of his hip pocket. Unfortunately the pocket was buttoned, and that made things a little harder. After several unsuccessful tries he finally managed to unbutton the pocket and catch the handle of the knife between two fingers of his left hand. Slowly, carefully, he drew the knife out, and then he found the button and snapped the blade open.
"Scootch over here, John baby," he whispered, "and I'll see if I can cut your hands loose."
Johnny struggled around and held his hands out behind him, and soon he felt Fergie's knife sawing at the rope on his wrists. It seemed to take forever, and Johnny kept worrying that the Turks would notice what was going on. However, there was not much chance of that. They were running back and forth, getting ready for battle. Trumpets brayed and drums rattled, and loud, defiant shouts rang out. Meanwhile Fergie sawed away, and finally the last strand of rope parted and Johnny's hands were free. But just as that happened, a muffled roar was heard in the distance, and a ghostly plume of spray rose from the water near the Turkish ship's bow.
"Hey, they are on our side!" Fergie crowed. He held the knife out behind him, and soon Johnny was using the switchblade to cut loose his friend and then the professor. At last the three of them were free. Rubbing his sore hands, the professor jumped up. But he saw the soldiers running to and fro on the deck, and he quickly dropped back down to his knees.
"We've got to lie low for a bit," he whispered hoarsely. "When the battle starts, we'll make a run for it and see if we can get to my valise."
Johnny and Fergie crouched down under the shadow of the ship's rail as they heard a cannonball whiz past and crash into the galley's tall mast. With a loud creaking and groaning the mast fell, and the useless sail lay flapping wildly on the deck. A second later a loud crash split the air, as the ram on the enemy galley's prow smashed into the side of the Turkish ship. There was a long grinding and crunching sound, as oars broke and large splinters of wood flew in all directions. Johnny and his friends ran toward the shattered stump of the mast, and the professor got his hands on the valise. Quickly he tossed his sword to Johnny.
"Here! Defend yourself!" he yelled, but Johnny just clutched the sheathed sword in terror as men from the other ship poured over the rail onto the deck of the Turkish galley. All around him swords flashed, as the sailors and soldiers from the two ships fought desperately. Suddenly Johnny felt a sharp pain in his right arm. He looked down and saw that his sleeve was bloody, and when he looked up again, he saw a
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