“I don’t know.” Suddenly something registered on Pug. “Look at the bow. See how it’s painted.”
The bow rested on the rocks, held there until the tide rose. From the deck line down, the hull was painted a bright green, and it shone with reflected sunlight, as if it had been glazed over Instead of a figurehead, intricate designs were painted in bright yellow, down to the waterline, which was a dull black. A large blue-and-white eye had been painted several feet behind the prow, and all the above-deck railing that they could see was painted white.
Pug grabbed Tomas’s arm. “Look!” He pointed to the water behind the prow, and Tomas could see a shattered white mast extending a few feet above the surging foam.
Tomas took a step closer. “It’s no Kingdom ship, for certain.” He turned to Pug. “Maybe they were from Queg?”
“No,” answered Pug. “You’ve seen as many Quegan ships as I have. This is nothing from Queg or the Free Cities. I don’t think a ship like this has ever passed these waters before. Let’s look around.”
Tomas seemed suddenly timid. “Careful, Pug. There is something strange here, and I have an ill feeling. Someone may still be about.”
Both boys looked around for a minute, before Pug concluded, “I think not, whatever snapped that mast and drove the ship ashore with enough force to wreck it this badly must have killed any who tried to ride her in.”
Venturing closer, the boys found small articles lying about, tossed among the rocks by the waves. They saw broken crockery and boards, pieces of torn red sailcloth, and lengths of rope Pug stopped and picked up a strange-looking dagger fashioned from some unfamiliar material. It was a dull grey and was lighter than steel, but still quite sharp.
Tomas tried to pull himself to the railing, but couldn’t find a proper footing on the slippery rocks. Pug moved along the hull until he found himself in danger of having his boots washed by the tide; they could board the hulk if they waded into the sea, but Pug was unwilling to ruin his good clothing. He walked back to where Tomas stood studying the wreck.
Tomas pointed behind Pug. “If we climb up to that ledge, we could lower ourselves down to the deck.”
Pug saw the ledge, a jutting single piece of stone that started twenty feet back on their left, extending upward and out to overhang the bow. It looked like an easy climb, and Pug agreed. They pulled themselves up and inched along the ledge, backs flat to the base of the bluffs. The path was narrow, but by stepping carefully, they ran little risk of falling. They reached a point above the hull; Tomas pointed. “Look. Bodies!”
Lying on the deck were two men, both dressed in bright blue armor of unfamiliar design. One had his head crushed by a fallen spar, but the other, lying facedown, didn’t show any injuries, beyond his stillness Strapped across that man’s back was an alien-looking broadsword, with strange serrated edges. His head was covered by an equally alien-looking blue helmet, potlike, with an outward flaring edge on the sides and back. Tomas shouted over the sound of the surf, “I’m going to let myself down. After I get on the deck, hand me the sword, and then lower yourself so I can grab you.”
Tomas handed Pug the sword, then turned around slowly. He knelt with his face against the cliff wall. Sliding backward, he let himself down until he was almost hanging free. With a shove he dropped the remaining four feet, landing safely Pug reversed the sword and handed it down to Tomas, then followed his friend’s lead, and in a moment they both stood on the deck. The foredeck slanted alarmingly down toward the water, and they could feel the ship move beneath their feet.
“The tide’s rising,” Tomas shouted “It’ll lift what’s left of the ship and smash it on the rocks. Everything will be lost.”
“Look around,” Pug shouted back “Anything that looks worth saving we can try to throw up on the ledge.”