Page 39 (1/2)

The Storht!" Doh the mist

Jenna and Boy 412 paddled Muriel Two as hard as they could toward the Deppen Ditch, and Nicko, ould not be parted from the Hunter&039;s canoe, followed theht their attention: "Send the swimmers out Now!"

There was a lull in the sounds eeance while the only two sailors on board who could sere pursued around the deck and caught Two loud splashes followed as they were thrown overboard to give chase

The occupants of the canoes ignored the gasps co from the water and pressed on toward the safety of the Marram Marshes Far behind them the tie drop, swa that what the old seafarers had told them was true: it was indeed unlucky for a sailor to kno to swieance, DomDaniel retreated to his throne The deckhands had shrunk away after being made to throo of their shipmates overboard, and DomDaniel had the deck to himself A deep chill surrounded him as he sat on his throne and i his way through a long and complicated Reverse Incantation

Do tide obeyed hi and churning past the Port, funneling itself up into the river, dragging with it dolphins and jellyfish, turtles and seals as they were all swept along with the irresistible current The water rose Higher and higher it cli river As the canoes reached the mouth of the Deppen Ditch, it became even more difficult to control the up the Ditch

"It&039;s too rough," yelled Jenna over the rush of the water, fighting with her paddle against yet another eddy as Muriel Two pitched fro waters The flood tide carried the canoes along with it, taking the helplessly in the wild surge As they were thrown along like so much flotsam and jetsa to the top of the Ditch He had never known anything like it before

"So," he yelled back at Jenna "It shouldn&039;t be like this!"

"It&039;s hi his paddle in the direction of Do he hadn&039;t as Muriel Two lurched sickeningly to one side "Listen!"

As the Vengeance had begun to rise high in the water and tug on her anchor chain, Do above the roar of the tide "Blow! Blow! Blow!" he screaathered and did what it was Co the surface of the water into waves and pitching the canoes violently froh up in the water at the top of Deppen Ditch, Jenna, Nicko and Boy 412 could now see the Vengeance clearly

The Vengeance could also see them

On the prow of the ship Dolass and searched until he sahat he was looking for

Canoes

And as he studied the occupants his worst fears were realized There was no irl in the front of the strange green canoe It was the Queenling The Queenling had been on board his ship She had been running around, under his very nose, and he had let her escape Doies and Summoned the most powerful Storyk turned the howl of the wind into an ear-splitting shriek Black storh over the bleak expanse of the Marrarew dian to break over the canoes

"The water&039;s coht to keep control of Muriel Thile Boy 412 frantically bailed out the water Nicko was having trouble in the Hunter&039;s canoe - a wave had just crashed over hiht Nicko, and he&039;d be at the bottom of the Deppen Ditch

And then suddenly there was no Deppen Ditch

With a roar the banks of Deppen Ditch gave way A h the breach and roared out across the Marra all with it: dolphins, turtles, jellyfish, seals, swimmersand two canoes

The speed at which Nicko was traveling was faster than he had ever drea at once But the Hunter&039;s canoe rode the crest of the wave lightly and easily, as though this was thefor

Jenna and Boy 412 were not quite as thrilled as Nicko at the turn of events Muriel Tas a contrary old canoe, and she did not take to this neay of traveling at all They had to fight hard to stop her fro across the marsh

As the water spread across the an to lose some of its power, and Jenna and Boy 412 were able to steer Muriel Twothe wave toward the it as he went

"That is the best thing ever!" he shouted above the rush of the water

"You&039;re crazy!" yelled Jenna, still struggling with her paddle to stop Muriel Two fro fast now, slowing its pace and losing most of its power as the water that drove it sank into the wide expanse of the s, the sli an open sea behind it Soon the as gone, and Jenna, Nicko and Boy 412 were adrift on an open sea that stretched into the distance as far as they could see, dotted with little islands here and there

As they paddled the canoes in what they hoped was the right direction, a threatening darkness began to fall as the storh above theed with electricity Soon a warning roll of thunder ruan to fall Jenna looked out over the cold grayto find their way home

In the distance on one of the farthest islands, Boy 412 saw a flickering light Aunt Zelda was lighting her stor them in the s

The canoes picked up speed and headed hoan to light up the sky

Aunt Zelda&039;s door was open She was expecting them

They tied the canoes to the boot scraper by the front door and walked into the strangely silent cottage Aunt Zelda was in the kitchen with the Boggart

"We&039;re back!" yelled Jenna

Aunt Zelda ca the door behind her "Did you find him?" she asked

"Find who?" said Jenna

"The Apprentice boy Septimus"

"Oh, hi that Jenna had forgotten why they went in the first place

"My goodness, you got back just in ti over to close the door

"Yes, it&039;s - "

"Aargh!" screamed Aunt Zelda as she reached the door and saw the water lapping at the doorstep, not toup and down outside "We&039;re flooded The aniht," Jenna reassured her "The chickens are all there on top of the chicken boat - we counted theoat has climbed up onto the roof"

"The roof?"

"Yes, she was eating the thatchher"