Authors: John Christopher
Fireball (19 page)
All this time they were under observation by the Algonquians. Since the purpose of their activity was so obvious, Simon wondered whether the Indians might intervene to stop them, but they never approached nearer than a couple of hundred yards. The reason, it eventually occurred to him, was that, in Red Hawk's view, putting out to sea on a raft was the equivalent of going into Iroquois territory, as far as the outcome was concerned: the moment they did it, they were as good as dead. He straightened up from hammering and looked across the heaving swell. It seemed to stretch into eternity, grey sea merging into grey sky. Red Hawk was probably right, at that.
At last it was finished. They stacked what was worth taking with them, including the meagre store of food, in the centre of the raft. Curtius wanted to set
fire to the cabin, but the others said no: it might provoke the Indians to see their prospective spoils going up in smoke. The last thing Bos took was a pouch, which he tied securely to his belt. In it were roots of vines in a protective cocoon of moss. He had brought them with him from the emperor's own vineyard in Rome, and his promise to himself was that someday, in some place, they would grow, and flower, and fruit; and he would make wine from the grapes.
It only remained to float the raft. That wasn't easy, either. They had to struggle, knee-deep in near freezing water, to move it. At last it bobbed clear, and they scrambled on board. It was about fifteen feet across, with a low surrounding gunnel. It would have been a mad idea for four men to entrust their lives to such a craft even on a placid lake in summer. They had erected a small mast and had a sail but could not use it with the wind blowing steadily towards shore. They paddled the raft out through the breakers.
It helped a bit when they could strip off their soaked clothes and put on dry. The ridge beyond the reach was crowded now with figures; Simon thought
he recognized Red Hawk in the centre of them. Gradually they dwindled in size and began to fall away astern.
“That's it!” Brad said. “We're in the currentâheading south.”
JOHN CHRISTOPHER
is a pseudonym of Samuel Youd, who was born in Lancashire, England, in 1922. He is the author of more than fifty novels and novellas, as well as numerous short stories. His most famous books include
The Death of Grass
, the Tripods series,
The Lotus Caves
, and
The Guardians
.
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Also by John Christopher
From Aladdin
THE TRIPODS SERIES
The White Mountains
The City of Gold and Lead
The Pool of Fire
When the Tripods Came
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRITS TRILOGY
The Prince in Waiting
Beyond the Burning Lands
The Sword of the Spirits
THE FIREBALL TRILOGY
New Found Land
Dragon Dance
The Guardians
The Lotus Caves
A Dusk of Demons
In the Beginning
Empty World
Wild Jack
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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This Aladdin hardcover edition October 2015
Text copyright © 1981 by John Christopher
Previously published in 1981 by E.P. Dutton.
Jacket illustration copyright © 2015 by Anton Petrov
Also available in an Aladdin paperback edition.
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Jacket designed by Karin Paprocki
Interior designed by Hilary Zarycky
The text of this book was set in Venetian 301.
Library of Congress Control Number 2014948957
ISBN 978-1-4814-2010-5 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-2009-9 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4814-2011-2 (eBook)