The Bellmaker

12

“Up in the riggin, out on those yardarms, crew!

Finnbarr Galedeep fought with the tiller to keep the Pearl Queen plowing southwest as he roared orders.

“Pile on every scrap o sail, buckoes! Log-a-Log, search the lockers, we need more canvas! Joseph, lash that boom on the same course were runnin, souwest an keel down! Ill show the scurvy flotsam, with me own paw on me own tiller theres not even the seagulls kin outsail the ole Pearl QueenV

Out on the yards, lashing down sheets like two old salts, Durry and Rufe roared into the blasting winds, while at the same time comforting a thoroughly seasick Fore-mole.

“Foremole, forget that your stomachs heavin. Just roar like we do. Youll feel better right away, promise!

The good mole tried, but he was not convinced, roaring fitfully as he glanced backward to the Shattoo. “Hooour-rrarrruurrg! Oi wishes oi wurr back ome, stead o bein chased by a gurt boatload o vurmints. Hooarrurg!

Strapp was perched high on the prow of Shalloo, clinging to the wet lines as the bow dipped and heaved. He howled encouragement at his double crew.

“Bend yer louse-ridden backs, cullies. I said wed be sailin south, didnt I? Keep yore glims on the prize ahead, the Pearl Queen, me new ship! If I cant catch er wid two crews to speed us on, nobeast can!

Rappsnout joined him, shouting to be heard above the shrieking gale and hissing spray. “Dont fret yer eart, Capn. They got a few lengths start on us, but well overhaul er soon!

“Yer right there, mate, Strapp said as he wiped bow-spray from his eyes. “Get some archers up ere, an some grapplin ooks. When we gets close enough then well clap grapplers an old er close, while the archers picks em off. Tell em tget that rogue Galedeep first!

Rappsnout cackled happily as he leaped down to obey Strapps orders. He spat on his paw and patted a bulkhead. “Haharr, thats fer luck, Shalloo, ole Rappsnoutll soon be yer new master. Ahoy, Snicker, get below an break out bows n arrers. Sharkoe, lay yer paws on some grapplin irons an lines. Jump to it, messmates. Were lucky rats this daya ship n crew an plunder too!

Finnbarr knew his old ship like the hairs on the back of his paw. He ordered triangle sails to be set between the bowsprit and the cable from the topmast, and two square sails sitting low amidships to port and starboard. It worked like a charm, lifting the forard end, and sending Pearl Queen skimming. Log-a-Log smiled at the sight of many searats crammed into the bows of Shalloo, sending her head deeper down and slowing her.

“Hoho, look at that, Finnbarr. Shalloos starting to wallow like an old leaky bucket!

Joseph came dashing up. “Finnbarr, whats that roaring noise I hear? he shouted.

The big sea otter grasped Josephs paw. “Come aloft with the Galedeep, Beilmaker, and Ill show ye!

Together they climbed into the rigging, and Finnbarr pointed directly on the course they were heading. “Theres a sight ye can tell yore grandmice about. Look at the hole in the sea, Joseph!

The sight took Josephs breath away. Less than a sea league southwest was a gigantic whirlpool, more than ten shiplengths wide, a complete circle, whirling around like a tornado, with a massive hole at its center. The roaring noise increased until it filled the air for miles around. Finnbarrs single eye watched it impassively.

“Few creatures ave ever seen it an lived. Tis called the Green Maelstrom. See there, it spins off south creatin the fastest part of the current they call Roaringburn!

Redoubtable as he was, Joseph found himself trembling with fear of the unknown hole in the deep. “But were heading straight for it, he said. “Well be sucked in!

Finnbarrs scarred face was grim as he grabbed Josephs paw. “Trust me. The Galedeep knows wot es about! Its not my ship thatll be pulled over the edge o the Green Maelstrom. No, thats where Shalloos bound for!

Joseph was horrorstruck. “Shalloo has two crews aboard her! he cried.

The sea otters face quivered with emotion. Joseph was not sure whether it was sea-spray or tears he saw running down from Finnbarrs single eye.

“Aye, two crews of murderin, torturin, fate-forsaken searats. I was the only one escaped when they captured Pearl Queenthey killed my ole crew, wife an two sons as well. Left me fer dead, but it takes moren searats to finish Finnbarr Galedeep. You can lay tthat! Now git below an foller me orders to the word, or well all find out what the earth below the igh seas looks like!

Capn Strapp was laying about with the flat of his cutlass at the rats crowding the bows. “Git back, yer shell-brained slackers, waitll I gives the word. Go an shove on more sailyore slowin the vessel by all pilin up ere. Belay an git back, I say!

Rappsnout came scurrying forward, still grinning. “Capn, Capn, looks like Pearl Queens flounderin. Shes limpin like a lame duck with all sails on the starboard side slack!

Strapp was jubilant at this sudden stroke of luck. “Har-arr, she aint goin nowheres. Ahoy, where are you lot off to? Git back up forard ere. Stan by with weapons an grapplin “ooks! Runnin with this gale, well hove alongside er in no time!

A rat in the rigging on lookout began shrieking, “Waaah, Capn! Theres a big ole in the seas!

Strapp shook his head in mock despair. “You bin up there too long, Drangle. Come on down.

But the lookout persisted. “I never seen nothin like it, Capn, off tthe souwest. Cant you ear the noise its makin?

Strapp could ignore the warning no longer, even though Shalloo was upwind of the maelstrom. At first he thought the roaring of the vortex was thunder, but there had been no lightning flashes. The Corsair Captain hauled himself high into the forepeak rigging to take a look. Most of the crew did, too, and the sight of the colossal whirlpool caused chaos.

“Drangles righttis a pit in the waters! “Put about or were all deadbeasts! “Well be sucked down into it, mates! “Bring er around, Capn, afore we perish! Strapp gritted his teethhe was determined to have the Pearl Queen. Luck had been with him so far; he had rid himself of his brother and gained another crew. Now after chasing the prize halfway across the main he was not about to give up and turn tail. Booting the closest rats down to the deck, he railed at them.

“Down an stand ready, every rat jack of ye! I aint goin back empty clawed! Are you searats or landswabs? Wherever Pearl Queen goes, we can follow. Anybeast not with me is agin me, an its over the side with the cowards! Now look lively an jump to my biddin!

Spume and roaring water were everywhere, enveloping the crew of Pearl Queen. Log-a-Log and Finnbarr fought against the tiller as it bucked and yawed. The shrew Chieftain had to shout at the sea otter to be heard above the gale. “Are ysure you know what youre doin, Gale-deep?

Finnbarr laughed like a madbeast. “Yahaharr! Ive wrung more salt water out o me whiskers than that lot ave sailed on. Leave it tme! Keep those starboard sails slack an this rudder ard over. When I gives the word then pile the starboard sail back on an slack off the larboard sail, an swing this tiller over for all yore worth, matey. Joseph, get our crew up in the riggin, tell em to stand by. Rosie, marm,ow far off is Shalloo now?

Hon Rosie sloshed her way up to the high stern. “Less than forty shiplengths, bearing down fast, old thing! Her voice was cut off as Durry and Rufe fell from the rigging and clung tight to her neck, wailing.

“Well never see Red wall again!

“Were goin tfall off the seas edge into that pit!

Foremole and Joseph untangled them, the mole unable to tear his eyes from the maelstrom, which was hardly more than six shiplengths off now.

“Boi okey, ee mustve bed a gurt seabeast to dig an ole loik thatn, whurr, lookit er!

Pearl Queen seemed to be almost tottering on the brink of the whirling water tunnel now. The terrifying greeny-gray walls revolved at a breathtaking speed, a gaping hole reaching down, down, into mysterious darkness.

Joseph boosted Rufe and Durry aloft. “Come on, you two, Ill climb up there with you. Try not to look at the whirlpool and keep your ears pinned back for Galedeeps orders. Up you go!

“Finnbarr, here she comes. Rosies voice rose above the melee. “Shalloos sailin straight at us. Shell strike the center of our ship soon. Look out! Expertly Rosie caught the first grappling hook that shot out from Shal-loos bow and hurled it back, ducking a volley of arrows. Capn Strapps jubilant roars rang above the thunder of the Green Maelstrom.

“Lay on, buckoesshes ours, shes ours!

Suddenly Finnbarr was swinging the tiller over, calling out his orders: “Lash those starboard sails tight; let the wind catch er. Rosie, lend a paw on this tiller with men Log-a-Log! You shrews up there, look smart; slack off the sails on the larboard side. Move yerselves!

Durry labored furiously, trying to get his cold, spray-soaked paws to work on the ropes. Joseph toiled alongside him.

Rufes footpaws left the yardarm momentarily as a sail caught the wind and billowed out. “Whats the sea otter doin, Joseph sir? he cried. “Larboard, starboard, slack off an tighten up, pushin that tiller thing here an there; I dont unnerstand none of it.

The Bellmakers weatherbeaten face creased into a grim smile. “Nor do I, young un. Thats the thing about being crew, were not here to understand, just to obey orders. Though I think Finnbarr has left it too late. Duck! Arrows hissed viciously overhead as the three ducked.

The searats of the Shalloo were only a boatlength away. They crowded the bows of their ship, snarling as they fired arrows and whirled grappling hooks. Finnbarr held the tiller hard over as Rosie and Log-a-Log secured it in position with a rope halter. The larboard sails fluttered loose as Guosim shrews slacked them off. Shalloos bowsprit was a fraction from striking the Pearl Queen amidships when Finnbarrs sea skills paid off. The first six grappling hooks caught as it happened.

With a groaning of timber and creaking of rigging the Pearl Queen turned sideways! Finnbarr drew both the swords from their back scabbards, tossing one to Log-a-Log. Both creatures sprang to the rail, shearing the taut grappling lines with single strokes of the finely honed swords. Durry and Rufe stared wordlessly as Shalloo shot by them, her decks crowded with silent searats, numbed with shock as their ship caught the spinning edge of the Green Maelstrom. Halfway around the whirlpool it spun, hanging a split second in midair with its entire keel visible, then it tipped headfirst into the dark abyss. The Shal-loo was gone into the depths, never to be seen again by living eyes.

A gasp of horror arose from the crew of the Pearl Queen. Then Finnbarr was in the midst of them shouting, “Save yer pity for the ones they murdered! Theyve gone where all searats should go, mates! Stand by, we aint safe yet by a long chalk!

Pearl Queen traveled sideways around the far outer rim of the whirlpool, seemingly helpless, until they jumped to obey Finnbarrs next commands.

“Pile on all sail agin, crew!

Slashing the rope that held the tiller, he centered it and held it level with Log-a-Log and Rosies help. When she saw what was happening the Hon Rosies natural exuberance returned in full force.

“Whoohahahooh! I say, chaps, the jolly old ships sailin straight again, an goin like the clappers. Whoo-hahahahoo!

Joseph looked behind him. The Green Maelstrom was rapidly disappearing in the distance as Pearl Queen rushed due south like a great sea eagle. He scrambled down from the rigging and ran to Finnbarr. Grasping the sea otters paw in both of his own, the Bellmaker shook it strongly.

“Roaringburn, you found it, were sailing south!

The whole crew gave a great cheer, and Finnbarr grinned crookedly as he turned to acknowledge the compliment.

Boom!

The sea otter was knocked flat on his tail as the vessel shuddered from stem to stern. He scrambled upright, shouting, “What is it? Whats happenin?

The shrew Bandle leaned out over the starboard rail. “Look, weve just passed a rock stickin up out the water. We musta struck it!

There was an instant flurry of activity; the crew scattered in all directions to inspect the vessel for damage. Finnbarr held the tiller, calling anxiously, “Is everythin shipshape?

There was a chorus of “ayes. Then Foremoles head appeared from the forard rope locker.

“Zurr, thurrm a gurt ole in ee shipper ere. Hurr, ee waiter be a pouren in, oim afeared usns a sinken!