[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"We saw `nothing'!" the headman of the little village plead- ed with me
as he stood there before me. Behind me anchored fore and aft a hundred and
fifty yards off shore the Huntress, its catapults now armed and loaded with my
firebombs. I reached up with my arm, waved. The sudden burst of flame there on
the beach at one end of the village left no doubts in anyone's minds then!!
Lamp oil in a gallon glass bottle with a cotton rag for a wick. Not "high
technology", but yet "impressive" to any "barbarian"!
"I will burn your worthless village, your boats," I replied, my eyes
"hard" as they looked into his. I had only a boat's crew behind me. That and
my own "reputation", which was "awesome" enough I thought to keep him mentally
"off balance". In any case I did not think that any of the villagers had the
courage to face me. They had heard of Queen Lorraine of Trelandar, Warlady of
the Empire of California. I had given Janice her orders. I knew too that she
would obey. And carry out my commands regardless. I supposed they could kill
me if they wanted to, but there would- n't be much left if they did. I could
rely upon Janice for that!
"The ship was the `Northland'," his wife said, her eyes hard as they
looked into mine. I suspected that she "wore the pants". She was tall, dark
haired, muscular looking. Wore a sword too. I suspected that she had once been
a Dularnian warrioress from the looks of her. Often such women "retire" once
they grow old.
"And those who were aboard it?" I challenged her in reply.
"They have fled into the forests," she answered me back. I suspected
that they had done so only in the last hour. There was no doubt in my mind
that these people thought of themselves as being "Dularnian". That they now
owed their allegiance to Maris!
"The women that they hold captive will be returned to me be- fore the
sun sets tomorrow or this village will burn," I answered in reply, standing
there, looking straight into her dark eyes. I had no doubt that they knew
where the women were being held too!!
Chapter Twenty Six
"We'll keep a good watch tonight just to `make sure'," I said to Janice
as I discussed matters with her in the stern ca- bin. I had no doubts that the
Dularnians would try "something". I also had no doubts that the villagers
would "assist" them too!
"You took a hell of a chance back there that someone didn't decide to
put an arrow or crossbow bolt through you," the captain of the Huntress
Page 95
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
answered with a smile, sipping a bit at her wine. Such had been in my thoughts
too when I had gone to the village.
"Then the village would have `burned', wouldn't it?" I said.
"With everything the Huntress could fire," Janice smiled. I had given
her orders to that effect in "writing" to do just that. "Legally" the village
was part of the Empire of California, al- though I don't really think the
people thought of themselves in "that way" except perhaps when the tax
collector came on through. Their open hostility to me, their assistance to the
crew of the raider left no doubts in my mind as to which "side" they were on!
"Coastal villages like this one are also why the Dularnian raiders are
so successful," I then said to her, my eyes meeting hers over the rim of my
goblet. A sailing ship can stay out only so long. There has to be "support"
from shore. I suspected that there were villages all the way up and down the
coast of Califor- nia that helped out the raiders. Jon had "hinted" at such
once. Raiders can pay well for their supplies. The pirates of the 18th Century
were generally successful for much the same reasons too.
"And?" Janice asked, regarding me, smiling, no doubt well aware of the
fact that her beloved Warlady had another "idea". I wondered if we couldn't do
the same thing to the Dularnians too!!
"A ship's catapults will fire `shot' almost a quarter of a mile," I
smiled back. The people of a village would be utterly "helpless" before the
"broadside" of even a third rate like ours.
"We don't have enough `firebombs' for that," Janice replied.
"More can be made," I smiled back. I also had no doubts now that the
Dularnians might attempt to "take" the Huntress tonight. "And I think the
captain of the `Northland' will attempt to take this ship tonight," I added,
my eyes meeting those of Janice as she nodded back. They would get quite a
surprise when they did!!
"Quiet," Janice breathed from beside me. We had taken turns dozing a
bit. Everyone was armed, the boarding netting rigged. They would no doubt use
the fishing boats. We were only a long bow shot from shore. The old "furlong"
of Old England that had once been based upon how far a good archer could shoot
an arrow.
"They will probably come between two and three am," I spoke. "That would [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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"We saw `nothing'!" the headman of the little village plead- ed with me
as he stood there before me. Behind me anchored fore and aft a hundred and
fifty yards off shore the Huntress, its catapults now armed and loaded with my
firebombs. I reached up with my arm, waved. The sudden burst of flame there on
the beach at one end of the village left no doubts in anyone's minds then!!
Lamp oil in a gallon glass bottle with a cotton rag for a wick. Not "high
technology", but yet "impressive" to any "barbarian"!
"I will burn your worthless village, your boats," I replied, my eyes
"hard" as they looked into his. I had only a boat's crew behind me. That and
my own "reputation", which was "awesome" enough I thought to keep him mentally
"off balance". In any case I did not think that any of the villagers had the
courage to face me. They had heard of Queen Lorraine of Trelandar, Warlady of
the Empire of California. I had given Janice her orders. I knew too that she
would obey. And carry out my commands regardless. I supposed they could kill
me if they wanted to, but there would- n't be much left if they did. I could
rely upon Janice for that!
"The ship was the `Northland'," his wife said, her eyes hard as they
looked into mine. I suspected that she "wore the pants". She was tall, dark
haired, muscular looking. Wore a sword too. I suspected that she had once been
a Dularnian warrioress from the looks of her. Often such women "retire" once
they grow old.
"And those who were aboard it?" I challenged her in reply.
"They have fled into the forests," she answered me back. I suspected
that they had done so only in the last hour. There was no doubt in my mind
that these people thought of themselves as being "Dularnian". That they now
owed their allegiance to Maris!
"The women that they hold captive will be returned to me be- fore the
sun sets tomorrow or this village will burn," I answered in reply, standing
there, looking straight into her dark eyes. I had no doubt that they knew
where the women were being held too!!
Chapter Twenty Six
"We'll keep a good watch tonight just to `make sure'," I said to Janice
as I discussed matters with her in the stern ca- bin. I had no doubts that the
Dularnians would try "something". I also had no doubts that the villagers
would "assist" them too!
"You took a hell of a chance back there that someone didn't decide to
put an arrow or crossbow bolt through you," the captain of the Huntress
Page 95
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
answered with a smile, sipping a bit at her wine. Such had been in my thoughts
too when I had gone to the village.
"Then the village would have `burned', wouldn't it?" I said.
"With everything the Huntress could fire," Janice smiled. I had given
her orders to that effect in "writing" to do just that. "Legally" the village
was part of the Empire of California, al- though I don't really think the
people thought of themselves in "that way" except perhaps when the tax
collector came on through. Their open hostility to me, their assistance to the
crew of the raider left no doubts in my mind as to which "side" they were on!
"Coastal villages like this one are also why the Dularnian raiders are
so successful," I then said to her, my eyes meeting hers over the rim of my
goblet. A sailing ship can stay out only so long. There has to be "support"
from shore. I suspected that there were villages all the way up and down the
coast of Califor- nia that helped out the raiders. Jon had "hinted" at such
once. Raiders can pay well for their supplies. The pirates of the 18th Century
were generally successful for much the same reasons too.
"And?" Janice asked, regarding me, smiling, no doubt well aware of the
fact that her beloved Warlady had another "idea". I wondered if we couldn't do
the same thing to the Dularnians too!!
"A ship's catapults will fire `shot' almost a quarter of a mile," I
smiled back. The people of a village would be utterly "helpless" before the
"broadside" of even a third rate like ours.
"We don't have enough `firebombs' for that," Janice replied.
"More can be made," I smiled back. I also had no doubts now that the
Dularnians might attempt to "take" the Huntress tonight. "And I think the
captain of the `Northland' will attempt to take this ship tonight," I added,
my eyes meeting those of Janice as she nodded back. They would get quite a
surprise when they did!!
"Quiet," Janice breathed from beside me. We had taken turns dozing a
bit. Everyone was armed, the boarding netting rigged. They would no doubt use
the fishing boats. We were only a long bow shot from shore. The old "furlong"
of Old England that had once been based upon how far a good archer could shoot
an arrow.
"They will probably come between two and three am," I spoke. "That would [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]