"What if the Mollusks areaWhat if they've beena"

Molly put her hand on his arm. "We'll just have to hope for the best," she said.

Peter turned to her, suddenly angry. "What good does that do, hoping for the best? What help is that?"

Molly reddened and removed her hand.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was just trying toa"

Now it was Peter's turn to redden. "Molly, I'm sorry," he said. "It's just that I feel as though the Mollusks are all I have right now, and if they're gonea"

"You have me," said Molly. "And Father. And James and the others. You have all of us."

Peter looked down. A tear fell, then another, both whipped away by the wind before they reached the deck.

"I have you now," he said, his voice breaking, "but you're growing older, all of you. And I'm not. I never will. I won't have you later. That doesn't trouble me so much on the island. I feel at home there. But if I lose thata"

"Peter," said Molly, putting her hand on his shoulder, "no mattera"

Before she could finish, the ship lurched to port. Hook spun the wheel to correct it. Seconds later, Leonard was on deck.

"What was that?" he shouted to Hook.

"I don't know," said Hook. "It felt like we hit something, but there ain't nothing up here to hit."

"Peter!" called Leonard. "Have a look, will you?"

Peter, quickly wiping his eyes, vaulted over the rail and swooped alongside the ship. He saw it right awaya"a bulge in the keel just forward of amidships. A few of the planks were being spread apart; light gleamed through the cracks.

"What do you see?" called Leonard, leaning over the rail.

"There's a sort of b.u.mp on the bottom of the ship," Peter called back. "I think it's the starstuff, pressing against the wood." As he spoke, the timbers groaned, and the bulge bulged a bit more. Peter flew back up to the deck and landed next to Leonard.

"I think it's getting worse," he said.

Leonard and Hook exchanged worried glances, both thinking the same thing: if the starstuff escaped through the hull, the ship would no longer fly. With a hole in the hull, it wouldn't even float. They'd have to get to land before that happened. But the only land around was currently occupied by the Scorpions.

"Mr. Hook," said Leonard. "Perhaps we shoulda"

"Tink!" shouted Peter, spotting a sparkling speck zipping toward the ship through the clouds.

Seconds later she was perched on the ship's rail, her tiny, delicate face deadly serious, chiming so fast that Leonard had to ask her to slow down as the bad news tumbled outa.

Bad men everywhere with whips and sticksamaking Mollusks work in the mountainaMollusks hurt, sick, hungry, the childrenavery, very bada "What did she say?" asked Molly. "What is it?"

Peter, ignoring her, spoke to Leonard. "We can't wait any longer," he said. As he spoke, the ship's timbers groaned again.

"I agree," said Leonard. He look over the rail, rubbing his chin. "Mr. Hook," he said. "This cloud bank goes all the way to the water, does it not?"

"Aye," answered Hook. "We calls it the White Beard, when the clouds meet the sea."

"Well, can you set us down on this side of the White Beard?"

"Into the water!" said Peter and Molly at the same time.

If Hook was surprised, he didn't show it. He looked at the sails, gauged the wind.

"I can bring her down," he said. "But it might be a bit rough on her."

"Do it," said Aster. He turned and spoke quietly to Tinker Bell for a few seconds; she nodded and disappeared over the side. Meanwhile, Hook was shouting orders, which George quickly translated. The boys jumped to the sails. Almost immediately, the De Vliegen began to descend.

Peter, frowning, said to Leonard, "I don't understand. Why are you putting the ship in the water?"

"Yes, Father," said Molly. "Aren't we giving up our advantage?"

"We're giving up one advantage to gain a greater one," said Leonard. "Molly, do you remember the last time we approached this island?"

"I most certainly do! We were lucky to escape with our livesa"especially you, Fathera"when those red-painted warriors attacked us in canoes."

"Precisely. And what do you think they'll do if they see this ship sailing in?"

"I suppose they'll attack againa. Wait, Father, is that what you want?"

"Precisely," said Leonard.

"Buta""

Molly was interrupted by Hook, bellowing a string of commands, rapid-fire. The sails fluttered and flapped loudly. The ship, its bow tilted down, was descending to the sea with frightening speed.

"Hold on tight to something!" roared Hook. As the ship neared the wave-tops he gave the wheel a violent spin, pointing the ship upwind. At the same time, he ordered George and the boys to take in the topsails and let out the main. For a moment, the ship listed hard to starboard; then the wind caught, and it leveled off just as it touched down on the sea. There was a splash and a violent lurch as the ship slowed to a near stop, forcing all aboard to hang on as hard as they could to keep from falling. Timbers creaked in protest as the ship sank down, then bobbed back up, sending large, foam-frothed waves outward from both sides. A few more bobs and the ship settled, now sailing like a regular ship.

"Brilliant!" shouted George.

"Well done, Mr. Hook," said Leonard.

Hook waved his stump dismissively, as if he'd sailed a hundred flying ships into the sea. But the glint in his eyes betrayed him; he was quite impressed with himself.

"I still don't understand," said Molly. "Are we going to just sail in there and be attacked?"

"That is the plan, yes," said Leonard, glancing over the rail. "But we won't be sailing in alone."

Molly started to ask him what he meant, but before she could, she heard a voice from the sea call her nameain Porpoise. She turned and saw a smiling silver snout poking out of the waves.

"Ammm!" she shouted.

Her old friend was surrounded by at least two dozen more porpoises. Tinker Bell, having guided them to the ship, hovered proudly above. Leonard leaned over the rail and conversed with Ammm for several minutes in fluent Porpoise. When he was done, he turned to the quarterdeck and called, "Mr. Hook!"

"Yes, Cap'n?" replied Hook, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Make your course for Mollusk Island," said Leonard. "And let's have plenty of sail. We wouldn't want them to miss us."

CHAPTER 68.

THE ALARM.

THE SCORPION LOOKOUT BLINKED: A piece of the cloud bank had broken free and was moving toward him. As he stared, the moving cloud took shape, fog spilling offaits sails.

A ship!

Instantly the lookout raised the conch sh.e.l.l hanging from his side. He pressed it to his lips and trumpeted the alarm; the sound echoed down toward the compound from the lookout's mountainside post. He took a big breath and sounded it a second time.

From down the mountainside, he heard another lookout repeat the alarm. Then he heard shouts, and within a minute dozens of red-painted Scorpion warriors hurried out of the jungle and onto the beach, sprinting toward their war canoes.

The Scorpions had a simple strategy for dealing with sailing ships: strike immediately, and in overwhelming numbers. Some of the ships would shoot cannonsa"the Scorpions called them fire-throwersa"but there were never enough cannons to stop all the war canoes. And once the Scorpions, with their deadly poison arrows, got close to the ship, the battle was over quickly.

The first canoes were already in the water, moving swiftly toward the ship; many more were right behind. The lookout smiled. He expected to enjoy the show.

Fighting Prawn heard the moaning of a conch sh.e.l.l reverberate down the lava-tube tunnel. He lifted his head to listen; it was not a Mollusk signal.

The sound was repeated, closer this time. The Scorpion guards were agitated, some of them shouting, seemingly unsure about what to do.

The guards fell silent as a large man strode into the cavern chamber. At first Fighting Prawn saw only a silhouette against the dim tunnel light, but as the man pa.s.sed a torch, Fighting Prawn recognized the bone necklace, the red-painted face, the gleaming black eyes of the Scorpion leader. The leader surveyed the chamber, his eyes lingering an extra second or two on Fighting Prawn. What he saw, Fighting Prawn knew, was a bunch of exhausted, hunger-weakened slaves, their chief a beaten man, pounding rocks with bleeding hands. Fighting Prawn could feel the contempt in the Scorpion leader's eyes.

The Scorpion leader said something to his men, speaking in harsh syllables. When he finished, five guards ran from the chamber. The Scorpion leader looked around again; then, after barking another command to the remaining guards, turned and strode back up the tunnel.

Fighting Prawn glanced left, then right. Five guards had gone; that meant that only five remained. The guards were strong men, armed with knives and whips. But now it was just the five of them, guarding about fifty Mollusk men and a few piratesa"the only slaves still able to work. Many of his men, Fighting Prawn knew, were barely able to move. He prayed that at least some of them could still summon the strength, and the will, to fight. Because this was their only chance.

He gripped a rock and started to rise.

There were more than thirty canoes in the water now, with still more being launched: the Scorpions slicing skillfully through the waves, paddles flashing in the sunlight. Most of the canoes carried ten warriors, ready to put down their paddles and pick up their bows and arrows when they came within range.

The canoes were aimed, like waterborne arrows, straight at the ship. As the canoes drew closer, the ship began a slow turn to port, presenting its starboard side to the canoes. The Scorpions saw four cannons sticking out of the gun ports, a sight that caused them to whoop and shriek with delight. Four cannons, they knew, would have no chance of stopping the attack.

The forward canoes were almost within range. Some of the warriors set down their paddles and readied their bows. The war whoops were constant now; the ship was a fat, slow, inviting target. It would be an easy kill.

CHAPTER 69.

REVOLT.

THE CLOSEST GUARD was looking away when Fighting Prawn reached him; he went down without a sound. Fighting Prawn, the rock still in his hand, took three quick steps toward the next guard, who turned just in time to emit a shout before he, too, went down.

The element of surprise was gone now. Fighting Prawn shouted for his men to rise and take the remaining guards. Pride swelled his heart as three men, then four, then more, struggled to their feet, despite their desperate weakness. Two of the pirates were up as well. The three remaining Scorpion guards, clearly stunned by the revolt, at first tried to run toward the tunnel; but, finding their path blocked, had backed against the cavern wall, lashing out with whips and knives while shouting for help. But no help came, and the Scorpions were soon brought down by a hail of rocks hurled by the slaves they had once tormented.

When it was over, Fighting Prawn put his hands on his knees, gasping for air. The fight, short as it was, had left him, in his weakened state, barely able to stand. He looked around; the others looked no better. Fighting Prawn gave them a few more moments to recover, then ordered his men to strip the fallen Scorpions of their knives and whips. When they were ready, he turned and started out of the tunnel, followed by every Mollusk and pirate who could still walk. None of them knew what awaited them outside the cave, but all of them knew there was no turning back.

CHAPTER 70.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT.

THE CANOES WERE NOW CLOSE enough that Molly, from the deck of the ship, could make out the red-painted faces of the howling Scorpion warriors. Some of the closer ones raised their bows and shot; the poisoned arrows arced through the air. Most splashed into the sea, but several thunked into the hull.

"Father," said Molly, "they're getting awfully close."

Leonard, his eyes on the canoes, nodded. "Steadyasteadya" he said to Hook, whose dark eyes danced between the Scorpions and the sails. The De Vliegen continued on a steady course that kept her broadside to the oncoming Scorpionsa"an easy target.

Leonard turned to Petera"actually, to Tink, on Peter's shoulder.

"Now," he said.

In a flash, she was over the side.

More arrows thunked into the hull. One, then another, hissed across the deck.

"Take cover!" shouted Leonard. Molly ducked below the rail, peeking over the top. Peter and the other boys, having climbed to various posts in the rigging, hid behind masts and spars. Leonard and Hook crouched by the wheel. All eyes were on the onrushing canoes. The closest Scorpions were crouching in the front of their war boats, ready to make the leap toward the ship, now only yards away. The warriors rose to their feet, howling.

In an instant, their howls turned to cries of fear as the forward canoes rose straight out of the water, lifted by the blunt snouts and powerful tails of Ammm and the other porpoises, shooting upward from the depths in perfect unison. Four canoes were hoisted high and flipped over, sending the Scorpions and their weapons flying into the sea.

With a flash of tails, the porpoises disappeared, diving deep. The next wave of Scorpions, fearful of capsizing, stopped paddling and grabbed bows and spears, warily watching the water around them. Suddenly they heard hoots and whistles coming from behind. They turned and sawa Women?

A dozen mermaids had surfaced among the canoes; they waved and beckoned to the Scorpion warriors, who stared at them, openmouthed, not knowing what to make of these strange creatures. As it happened, they had no time to decide, as seconds later they, too, were hurled upward and out of their canoes as the precision porpoise team struck again.

Now the water foamed with chaos. Scorpions splashed in the water as they tried to pull themselves into the remaining upright canoes. These, in turn, were capsized by the porpoises and the mermaids. The would-be attackersa"now set upon from every sidea"struggled to keep from drowning. They paid no attention to the De Vliegen.

"Mr. Hook," said Leonard, surveying the scene, "I believe the time has arrived."

Hook spun the wheel, shouting out orders. George interpreted and repeated them. As the ship began its turn, the boys quickly changed both the arrangement and the angles of the sails. The effect was exactly as Hook had planned. Slowly, the bow began to rise. Water slapped against the hull; timbers groaned; masts and yardarms shook; lines sang. A shudder pa.s.sed from bow to stern. For a moment it sounded as if the ship was going to break apart.

Instead, it flew.

The bow lifted free of the surface, followed by the rest of the hull, water cascading from it like a rainstorm. The deck tilted steeply. The boys hanging on to the rigging let out a cheer.