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Back The Ring of Wind Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

Jack dug his paddle in, focusing on his rhythm. His shoulders ached and his palms were blistered. On the other side, Saburo grunted as he fought the pain searing through his muscles. They’d tried to dissuade him from rowing, but he was determined to help. Yori sat in the shade of the canvas, nauseous and dizzy from overexposure to the sun. Jack had a blinding headache, but did his best to ignore it. They had to row on. It was all they could do.

Cheng laid a hand upon his shoulder. ‘Let me take over,’ he said, seeing Jack sway with exhaustion.

Jack shook his head, knowing the pirate boy was equally tired. ‘I can keep going a little longer –’

‘Land!’ cried Miyuki, her voice cracked and parched.

Jack stood. He couldn’t see anything, but Miyuki’s sharp eyes glimpsed the rise of an island on the horizon. With a renewed burst of energy, Jack and Saburo started paddling again.

‘I can see it too!’ shouted Cheng.

Gradually the dark outline of a peak grew against the sky. Several seabirds circled above, calling out as if beckoning them towards the safety of shore. With every pull of their paddles, the raft floated nearer to land. But Jack became aware that they were approaching far faster than was possible simply by rowing. The raft was caught in another current.

This was good news … until Jack realized that it was sweeping them beyond the island. At this speed, however hard they paddled, they wouldn’t be able to break away from its drag.

‘We’re going to miss the shore!’ he exclaimed in alarm. ‘Miyuki! Cheng! We have to swim for it.’

The three of them jumped into the water, leaving Yori and Saburo to keep paddling. Holding on to the raft’s stern, they began kicking as hard as they could.

The combined power of feet and paddle drove them across the tugging current. To their immense relief, the island drew steadily closer, with their raft on a direct course for a sandy cove.

‘Not far now!’ encouraged Yori, paddling for all he was worth.

They were going to make it … then Jack spotted the distinctive shape of a grey dorsal fin rising out of the water.

28

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White Death

‘SHARK!’ cried Jack, kicking harder for the shore.

Miyuki and Cheng pumped their legs too. Yori and Saburo paddled frantically. But they were still far from the safety of the cove. The fin cut through the water towards them. There was little hope of out-swimming the shark. Yet if they stopped now, the raft would drift past the island and back out into open sea.

‘FASTER!’ urged Miyuki, glancing over her shoulder at the approaching fin.

Then the shark disappeared.

‘It’s gone,’ said Saburo with relief.

‘But where’s it gone?’ Cheng panted, looking round in panic.

‘Get out of the water!’ cried Yori, ditching his oar and putting out his hand to pull them on-board.