The Silver Swan Read Online Free PDF Page B

couldn’t for the life of me figure out how Lucas was a good lad when I’d just been in serious trouble for doing the same thing, but at least it was progress of a sort.
    â€˜All right, then, Swann family,’ said Papa, relaxing at last. ‘If you’re going to be part of this crew, you can help us figure out what on earth to do next.’
    â€˜Let’s just attack the fort,’ Lucas suggested.
    â€˜We might need to think of a more subtle approach, darling,’ said Mama. She settled herself down on the deck hatch. ‘Come sit beside me while we talk.’
    Lucas snuggled in close to her. The boys all gathered around, just like it used to be, except now my whole family was with us, too. Almost everyone I cared about in the whole world was in one place, on our beautiful ship, sailing into an unknown adventure. Soon I would be seeing Cookie, too. I suddenly felt as if my brain might burst, like fireworks, with all the pride and excitement building up inside me.
    I was a little scared, too, but no more than usual. Being scared is just a few breaths away from being excited. That’s what I’d realised a lifetime ago, in the Golden Grotto. Everyone gets scared some times — even Miller, even Papa. But mostly you have to keep going, no matter how much fear is inside you. I’d figured out that all you had to do was try to breathe your way from scared to excited, so if the fearful part of you got too heavy, it didn’t stop you from doing what had to be done.
    â€˜Them Maltese are a brave lot,’ Jem was saying. ‘They’ve been hurling everything they’ve got at those bastions to get at the French.’
    â€˜It is very difficult,’ said Francesco. ‘We Maltese know better than anyone — you can’t break down the walls of the harbour city. The stone is a mile thick.’
    â€˜Two miles,’ said Ricardo.
    â€˜You’re right, nobody can break down those walls,’ said Papa. ‘But perhaps we can burrow under them.’
    I gasped. Jem and I shouted it at the same time. ‘The map!’
    â€˜What are you two honking about?’ Miller asked.
    â€˜There’s a map showing tunnels under the city,’ Jem said.
    â€˜We stole it from Uncle Ebenezer,’ I explained hastily to Mama. ‘But I didn’t know he was my uncle then, so he didn’t mind.’
    â€˜I suppose Diablo’s got it now,’ said Jem mournfully.
    â€˜Do you think I’d risk Diablo getting his claws on that?’ asked Papa. ‘He knows its worth only too well.’
    â€˜Where is it, then?’ said Miller.
    Papa stood up. ‘Right here. I hid it behind the bulkhead in Lily’s cabin when Gisella was chasing us. You remember.’
    We remembered, all of us who’d been on board that day — the day Diablo had taken his revenge on my father and me. None of us would ever forget it.
    â€˜So we have a map and a cryptic message,’ said Miller. ‘It’s not much to go on.’
    â€˜Perhaps we should go to Dingli first,’ I suggested. ‘We could ask Uncle Ebenezer for advice. He and Aunt Lily would be so thrilled to see you, Papa, and to know that you’re alive.’
    Papa’s face changed, darkened into a scowl. ‘There’s no time for that. We have to get to the White Swan to collect my orders.’
    â€˜It’s right on our course,’ I said. ‘It won’t take long to stop off there.’
    â€˜Lily, I said no and I mean it,’ Papa warned. ‘We have to move in utmost secrecy.’
    â€˜They wouldn’t tell anyone,’ I said.
    â€˜You don’t understand,’ said Papa. ‘Your uncleis one of those people who likes to be involved in every intrigue — and if he’s not involved, he’ll know someone who is.’
    â€˜That’s perfect,’ I argued. ‘Then he’ll be able to tell us what’s going