Nation

THE CRACK OF THE PISTOL echoed around the mountain. It was even louder in Daphne’s head. Ataba went over backward, like a falling tree.

Only Milo and Pilu know what’s just happened, she thought. No one else here has even seen a gun before. There was a loud noise and the old man fell over. I might just be able to stop everyone from being killed. Mau was crouched over the body of Ataba, halfway toward getting up. She waved at him frantically to stay down.

Then Foxlip committed suicide. He didn’t know it at the time, but that’s how it started.

He pulled out his other pistol and growled, “Tell ’em not to move. First one who does, he’s a dead darkie. You tell ’em that right now! ”

She stepped forward with her hands up. “I know these men! They’re Foxlip and Polegrave! They were crew on the Sweet Judy. They kill people! They shot Mister Wainsly and Mister Plummer! They laughed about it! They — Pilu, tell them what a gun is! ”

“They are bad men! ” said Milo.

“Yes! They are! And they’ve got more pistols. Look! Stuck in their belts! ”

“You mean the spark-makers? ” said Mau, still crouched. She could see his muscles, wound up to spring.

Oh dear, thought Daphne, what a time to have a good memory….

“There’s no time to explain. They can point them at you and kill you better than any spear. And they will kill you, do you understand? And they probably won’t kill me. I’d be worth too much. Keep away. This is between… trouser-people! ”

“But you pointed one at me — ”

“There’s no time to explain! ” hissed Daphne.

“You’re talking a good deal too much, missie, ” said Foxlip. And just behind Daphne, Polegrave sniggered. She felt the barrel of a pistol pressed into the small of her back.

“Saw a feller shot inna spine once, miss, ” the man whispered. “It stuck there, indeed it did. Funny thing was, he started dancin’, right there, legs goin’ like mad and him screaming. Didn’t fall over for ten minutes. Amazin’ thing, nature. ”

“Stow that! ” said Foxlip, watching the clearing nervously. The islanders had mostly slid away into the bushes, but those who remained did not look too happy. “What did that silly ol’ devil want to get hisself shot for? Now they’re all worked up! ”

“Pretty raggedly lot, though, ” said Polegrave. “We could hang on ’til the others come — ”

“I told you to shut up! ”

They don’t know what to do now, Daphne thought. They are stupid and scared. The trouble is, they are stupid and scared with guns. And there’s others coming. Imo made us smart, Mau said. Am I smarter than a stupid man with a gun? Yes, I think I am.

“Gentlemen, ” she said, “why don’t we deal with this like civilized people? ”

“Are you having a little laugh, your majesty? ” said Foxlip.

“Get me to Port Mercia, and my father will give you gold and a pardon. Who’s going to give you a better offer this day? Look at this from a mathematical point of view. You’ve got guns, yes, but how long can you stay awake? There’s a lot more” — she forced the word out — “darkies than you. Even if one man stays awake, he’s only got two shots before his throat is cut. Of course, they might not start with the throat since they are, as you point out, savages and not as civilized as you. You must have a boat here. You don’t dare stay. ”

“But you’re our hostage, ” said Polegrave.

“You might be mine. I just have to scream. You shouldn’t have shot the priest. ”

“That old man was a priest? ” said Polegrave, looking panicky. “It’s bad luck to kill a priest! ”

“Not heathen ones, ” said Foxlip, “and the bad luck was all his, eh? ”

“But they got these spells; they can shrink your head —! ”

“When did they shrink yours? ” said Foxlip. “Don’t be such a damn fool! As for you, princess, you’re coming with us. ”

Princess, she thought. That was just like the mutineers. They called her baby names all the time. She hated it. It made her flesh crawl. It was probably meant to.

“No, Mr. Foxlip, I’m not a princess, ” she said carefully, “but you’re coming with me all the same. Keep close. ”

“And have you lead us into a trap? ”

“It’s near sunset. Do you want to be up here in the dark? ” She held out a hand and added, “And the rain, too. ” A squall had blown in, and the first drops began to fall. “The people here can see in the dark, ” she went on. “And they can move as silently as the wind. Their knives are so sharp that they can cut a man’s — ”

“Why’s it happening like this? ” Polegrave demanded of Foxlip. “I thought you were smart! You said we’d get the best pickings. You told me — ”

“And now I’m telling you to shut up. ” Foxlip turned to Daphne. “All right, my lady, I’m not falling for that malarkey. We’ll take you off this rock at first light. Might even get you as far as dear old dad. But there’d better be gold at the end of it, or else. No tricks, right? ”

“Yeah, we got four loaded pistols, missie, ” said Polegrave, waving one at her, “and they’ll stop anything, you hear? ”

“They won’t stop the fifth man, Mr. Polegrave. ”

She rejoiced in the change in his expression as she turned to Foxlip. “Tricks? From me? No. I want to get home. I don’t know any tricks. ”

“Swear on your mother’s life, ” said Foxlip.

“What? ”

“You always were a stuck-up kid on the Judy. Swear it, like I said. Then I might even believe yer. ”

Does he know about my mother? Daphne wondered, calm thoughts floating in a sea of fury. I think poor Captain Roberts did, and I told Cookie, but not even Cookie would gossip about that sort of thing to the likes of Foxlip. But no one is entitled to ask for an oath like that!

Foxlip growled. Daphne had been silent too long for his liking.

“Cat got your tongue? ” he said.

“No. But it is an important swear. I had to think about it. I promise I won’t try to run away, I won’t tell you any lies, and I won’t try to deceive you. Is that what you want? ”

“And you swear that on your mother’s life? ” Foxlip insisted.

“Yes, I do. ”

“That’s very handsome of you, ” said Foxlip. “Don’t you think so, Mr. Polegrave? ”

But Polegrave was watching the dripping forest on either side of the path. “There’s things in there, ” he moaned. “There’s stuff creepin’ about! ”