Pleasure Island [The Chronicles of Lidir] Read Online Free PDF

were gasps of delight from the pirates up above.
     
    'Why, it's a girl!' The astonished cry was from a pockmarked pirate at the rail.
     
    'No ... What say ye, Spragg?' came the quick reply. 'Stuck upon the hull like that, I thought it were a limpet!' The ship erupted in guffaws of laughter - with the speaker bellowing louder than the rest and slapping the spotty one heartily on the back.
     
    Nobody cared about Anya's plight - about the fact that she might easily have drowned. Looking up, she was enveloped by a slowly creeping fear - far more chilling than the sea - as she divined the wicked intent that lurked behind all those sparkling, laughing eyes.
     
    A gaunt, grey-whiskered pirate pointed a crooked finger: 'But look at her - dressed like a cabin squirt. Why?'
     
    'Hmmm ... I wonder now. She's got to be a valuable one to be set in that disguise.' Anya bit her lip. Then the man suddenly thumped his fist upon the rail and cried: 'Quick, Spragg. Get Travix. And tell the captain.' He nodded towards the other ship, drifting slowly away: riddled with holes and with her topmast gone, she looked a sorry sight. 'We can forget that leaking bucket and her jelly-bellied crew, for it's a mackerel to a maggot that we've got our prize - down here!'
     
    For a second or two, the pirates stared at each other, then stared at Anya. Spragg hadn't moved. Then suddenly one of them lifted his leg astride the rail. 'Forget Travix. This one's our prize. Come on, lads - let's give our guest a pirate's welcome. Pipe the girl aboard!'
     
     
    [3]
    A Severed Lip
     
    Rough hands grasped her sleeves and collar, hauled her dripping body up the side of the ship and dragged her over the rail. She was lifted to shoulder height on a forest of strong, eager arms and passed from hand to hand - above the sea of pigtailed, grinning, flap-eared faces with breath that spoke of rancid fish and tainted meat - and deposited, kicking defiantly, in the well below the quarterdeck. They tried to take hold of her flailing arms and feet.
     
    'Get back,' cried she. 'Unhand me!' Brave woman, brave words. She was on her back, hemmed in by a tight double circle of leering pirates. A pool of water welled from her saturated clothes.
     
    'Undress the girl, more like!' came the quip, spurring a renewed attack and more wild kicking. Then someone intervened.
     
    'Now calm down.' He spread his arms and held the others back. 'Don't rush her. Can't you see the girl's upset? Take it gently. She hasn't got to know us yet.'
     
    'Oh then, let me introduce myself ...' The quipster began undoing his belt.
     
    'Shut up, you witless gawk. Get him out of the way.' But the rescuer's voice turned oily. His hands began to dance and his grimy fingernails clawed the air as he tried to coax: 'Shh ... Now, my dearie, we're your friends. In those wet things, why, you'll catch your death of cold. Here, let Luggins help you.' The dancing fingers reached for Anya's jacket. She spat on them, then kicked him in the shin, sending him hopping to the howls of laughter.
     
    'It seems she knows you well enough already ...'
     
    Someone caught her wrist and twisted it and the next time that she kicked, they were ready. Two of them grabbed her feet, pulled her boots off, dragged her up and held her by the ankles. She took hold of the nearer assailant's leg and bit it at the knee. His breeches tasted musty. He screamed and dropped her. Anya twisted as she fell and her shoulder broke her fall. She tried to drag herself away, but there was no escaping. She was held face down by hands pressing heavily between her shoulders and pinning her to the deck. The pirate's full weight descended; he sat upon her, trapping her upper back between his knees. She could hardly breathe - her ribs were being crushed - but she kept kicking, though she hit no one and her toes kept stubbing against the floor. He wrenched her face to one side and forced her cheek against the planking. Then his face moved closer. Even with her