Doom's Break Read Online Free PDF

see both the fishing ship and the eastward side of the point to the northern part of the lagoon, where the Sea Wasp lay at anchor.
    The aftereffects of the previous half hour struck him now that he was sitting down. He shivered, feeling a sudden chill. He worked himself back into a crack in the rocks from which he could still keep watch.
    He was sure that Juf should be back at the Sea Wasp soon. Mentu would hurry. They had a chance of saving Simona.
    Back on the fishing boat, the men, still arguing, were about to set down their dinghy to search for any sign of their missing breakfast, when someone discovered that they had an invasion of ants.
    By then the ants had found the contents of their hold: a ton of well-dried flatfish, taken on the Basalt Banks. News of this discovery among the ant nests on the island had produced an explosion of activity. The tide of ants scurrying along Thru's rope thickened until it was three and four deep.
    It was the worst nightmare for a fishing crew in the ant-infested Marukas.
    Yells of anger, horror, and, soon, of pain rang out on the ship. Using whatever came to hand, the men flung themselves on the ants. Brooms and boots, palms and feet—everything was employed to smash them.
    The line was finally discovered and cut, but by then the ship was inundated with ten thousand little red horrors. The battle intensified. Every pirate had been stung again and again, and still the struggle went on while shouts of pain and rage echoed around the lagoon.
    Thru caught a gleam on a taut sail and then another coming out of the north. Hurrying down the lagoon's length came the Sea Wasp with sails full, on a freshening seaward breeze.
    Never was a sight so welcome. As the Sea Wasp approached, he ran down to the water's edge and tore off his shirt and waved it above his head.
    They were watching for him and soon spotted him. The Sea Wasp came about while the sails were lowered. The boat was set down, and Juf rowed swiftly over to the point. Thru swam out to meet him halfway, and they returned in haste to the Sea Wasp .
    Once onboard, he took a swig of warmed coconut juice and explained the situation. "I arranged for a little ant invasion of their ship. They're still dealing with it."
    Unconsciously, everyone in the room blinked and shivered. The pain of their own experiences in battling the ants were all too recent.
    "So, right now they're probably not being very observant. They know that Jevvi is gone and that somebody boarded their ship without them knowing, but they have a more pressing problem on their hands."
    "So that's what the stink pot was for," exclaimed Juf.
    "But we still have not freed Simona, and we will have to take their ship to do it."
    "Then it's best if we swim to the ship and attack by stealth, while they are occupied with the ants."
    "Unnnh," groaned Pern Glazen. "You mean, their ship is covered in the ants?"
    "Yes. Just listen—you can hear them cursing."
    And it was true. Howls of pain wafted over the rocky point.
    "I wonder if that was such a good move," grumbled Pern.
    "If it keeps them from seeing us until we're onboard, then it's worth it."
    "And if we get onboard, are we going to kill them?" asked Janbur.
    "If we have to, we will kill them. Jevvi may not recover from the beating they gave him. The best swimmers will swim out. Juf and Janbur will follow in the boat, and we'll use that to make our getaway."
    Plans made, they selected weapons. The swimmers took the swords and knives and tied them tightly to their waists before they dropped from the boat and began to swim.
    Aboard the pirate vessel, the fight with the ants was still very much alive. Four men were down in the hold swatting and wielding brooms. Even with the line cut to prevent any more of the little horrors getting aboard, the men faced a terrible ordeal. The worst thing would be for a few hundred ants to escape and start a nest. One of them would be selected to become the queen, and the ship would never be free of the