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Arthur gasped, and Doctor Scamandros looked back His wild eyes ure, barely audible over the sudden din of screah as well ‘Help! Giveabout it, Arthur touched the er It was instantly seized and drawn in soers and then his whole hand He felt sorip it fiercely Panicked, Arthur pulled back as hard as he could
It was like trying to pick up a very heavy weight -- Arthur felt his elbow and shoulder joints stretch and alainst the wall, pulling with all his strength Then suddenly he was lying on his back and Doctor Scamandros was sprawled next to him on the floor
‘Shut the watch!’ squealed Scamandros ‘Shut the watch!’
Arthur leapt up Just as he reached for the watch, he heard a strange zinging sound, and a long, oily fla, the fla sloves, swiped at the watch, shutting it with one blow The oily flame disappeared as the watch shut, but there was still lots of s his eyes, opened the door and the porthole to let it out, then turned to Scaht? Where did you coasped Doctor Scamandros ‘You called at an opportune tiive you my transfer watch!’
‘Is that what it is?’
‘Yes, one of ot tangled in the tails of his yellow greatcoat, till Arthur gave hiht need to ain, but the transfer was most fortunate’
‘Why? What’s happened to the Moth and everyone?’
‘The Moth has been taken,’ said Scamandros, his eyes downcast ‘By the pirate Feverfew’
‘What --?’
Arthur was interrupted by shouts of ‘Fire!’ from outside, followed a few seconds later by several sea in with buckets and a hose, fortunately not yet fully up to pressure so it only dribbled water
‘Where’s the fire?’ shouted the first Rat into the room
‘It’s out,’ said Arthur ‘Don’t worry about it’
‘Who’s this?’ asked the Rat suspiciously, looking at the bedraggled, yellow-overcoated, surprisingly short Denizen who had so mysteriously appeared Doctor Scamandros bowed, but this didn’t help The Rat looked around, made sure there really was no fire, then nodded to Arthur and backed out
‘Stay here, please, sir, while I fetch the officer of the watch,’ the Rat said as she shut the door
Arthur wasn’t sure ould happen next
Eighteen
NO MORE THAN a minute later, there was a knock at the door Arthur opened it and found Lieutenant Longtayle standing there, noearing a sword Behind hi steel cuirasses and hel pikes
‘You have a visitor, Lord Arthur?’ asked Longtayle politely, but his eyes were cold and did not stray fro his forehead with a yellow silk handkerchief
‘It’s Doctor Scah a transfer watch’
‘Are you sure it is Doctor Scaas him Transfers can be intercepted or redirected’
Arthur looked at Scamandros more carefully than he had before The Doctor certainly looked the same
‘I am Doctor Scamandros!’ the Denizen protested weakly
‘Prove it,’ said Longtayle
‘You Rats! Never prepared to take anyone’s word for anything,’ Scamandros complained ‘Well, if you must insist upon proof, here are soreatcoat and pulled out a thin leather docual ribbon He undid this and pulled out a parchtayle, who carefully looked it over Arthur couldn’t see as on it clearly, but he caught a glimpse of a kind of three-dimensional portrait of Doctor Sca underneath the picture
‘This is merely a student accreditation froistrar of the Upper House,’ said Longtayle ‘If it’s a true docu here in the Border Sea?’
‘Up until very recently I have been the Navigator-Sorcerer of the ship Moth,’ said Doctor Scaiving complete satisfaction, I may add I have a letter here to that effect from Captain Catapillow’
He handed over a folded sheet of paper Longtayle read this one too
‘What brought you to the Border Sea in the first place?’
Angry storers twitched
‘That’s none of your affair, young Rat!’
‘You’ve corimly ‘If you don’t answer uest!’ interrupted Arthur ‘I kind ofI guess I brought him aboard’
Scamandros waved his hand weakly The storently at anchor A sun shone on his forehead, turning green as it slowly sank towards his right ear
‘Never mind, Lord Arthur It’s well known that these Rats never rest without prying out everyone’s secrets I came to the Border Sea to find my final exam papers, which were supposedly lost before they could be ht that if I could find theree and oncein the Upper House A foolish hope, I now acknowledge I suspect my papers were never truly lost, and so will not reappear in the Sea’