Take Back the Skies Read Online Free PDF

the wheel. ‘He looks a little young.’
    The bearded man snorted, raising a bushy eyebrow at Fox. ‘We don’t, as far as I remember. Where’d you find this one, lad?’ he asked.
    â€˜My wardrobe. Seems he managed to slip past those morons who were searching it. I thought I’d let you decide whether to throw him overboard or not,’ Fox replied calmly.
    The panic must have shown on Catherine’s face because the older man laughed heartily.
    â€˜Don’t scare the poor sprog! He’s petrified enough as itis. What’s your name, kid?’ The man directed a warm smile towards Catherine, who smiled back unsurely.
    â€˜He calls himself Cat,’ Fox answered for her before she could speak, his scepticism clear. The blond man laughed, and the grey-haired man raised both eyebrows.
    â€˜First Fox, now Cat? What is this, a sodding menagerie?’ he muttered to himself, but didn’t question her chosen moniker. ‘I’m Harry, lad. Captain of this fine skyship. Which, I might add, I don’t remember giving you permission to board,’ he added with a stern look. ‘Better to ask forgiveness than permission – but you’d do best to tell me exactly why I shouldn’t get Ben here to turn this ship around and drop you right back in Anglya where you presumably came from.’
    Catherine’s eyes widened in alarm, and she took a step forward.
    â€˜Please, sir, don’t take me back. I won’t survive if I go back there!’ That was probably true. She was almost certain her father would kill her for running away if he ever set eyes on her again. ‘I heard there’s going to be another Collection next week!’ Again, true. Just not necessarily relevant to her. ‘I won’t be a bother if you let me stay. I’m a fast learner. I can work wherever you need me, even if it’s scrubbing floors or feeding the furnace! Just don’t take me back to Anglya!’ Catherine turned her shining grey eyes on the older man. His face softened and he sighed, rubbing at his beard.
    â€˜I suppose we can take on one more. We’ll have to see how good you are around the ship. And the government won’t miss one child this Collection, will they?’ he mused,the weathered skin around his eyes crinkling. ‘But if you’re not up to scratch, we’ll let you go in Siberene. There’s no dead weight on this ship.’
    Catherine beamed, fighting the temptation to hug the man in gratitude.
    â€˜Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down, promise,’ she declared. Harry clapped her on the shoulder.
    â€˜That’s the spirit, lad.’ He pulled a pocket watch from his coat. ‘Not long until supper. Enough time for you to get cleaned up and shown around.’ He glanced over at the man at the wheel. ‘This is Benny, by the way, Benedict Talbot. He’s our pilot.’
    Benedict gave her a small wave and a reserved smile.
    â€˜Hi,’ he said, and she replied with a grin.
    â€˜Fox, show our new boy around, would you? Let him have the room two down from yours. I’ll talk to the missus and try to persuade her another sprog can’t hurt us. And get her to change the bedding.’ He looked thoughtful. ‘I’ll bet you don’t have anything other than the clothes on your back, do you, Cat?’ Harry asked.
    She shook her head. She wouldn’t tell him about the purse of money in her trousers; she didn’t trust them enough for that yet.
    â€˜Well, we have plenty of Fox’s clothes from when he was your age and I’m sure they’ll fit fine. I’ll see if I can persuade Alice to dig them out. Go on, then, brats, run. Don’t let the new one get lost, Fox,’ he added sternly.
    â€˜I would never do such a thing,’ Fox replied, feigning outrage. ‘Come on, then, Cat. Let’s make this quick. I’m meant to be helping Matt with the