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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 handed out marlinspikes to Miyuki, Yori, Saburo and Cheng, then instructed them on how to splice the ropes together. They hurriedly set to work on forming a single length of line.

‘Making an escape, hey?’ Skullface dropped into the hold, sword drawn. He brought the blade to Jack’s throat.

‘No, I’m trying to save us all,’ protested Jack. ‘Even you.’

Tiger stepped from the gloom of the hold. ‘Captain’s orders are to help him.’

Skullface stared incredulously at his gangmember.

‘We need Manzo,’ said Jack, pushing away Skullface’s sword. ‘Bring him down here.’

Skullface looked incensed, but he stomped up the steps nonetheless. Manzo appeared a moment later. Jack ordered him and Tiger to carry the sailcloth, while his friends hauled up the massive length of rope. Back on the main deck, the storm continued to batter the Black Spider.

‘I need the side of the cage,’ Jack shouted to Manzo.

Unmoved by the wind and waves, the giant pirate strode over and wrenched off the front wall, leaving the cage in a state of half-collapse. Laying the bamboo frame upon the deck, Jack directed his friends to fasten the sailcloth to it. The task proved almost impossible as waves and spray washed across the deck, but eventually the job was done – resulting in a large kite-like structure. Jack fixed the long length of rope to the frame and handed the other end to Manzo. ‘Tie this to the anchor chain in the bow. And bring back the anchor itself.’

Manzo did as he was told and Jack lashed the Black Spider’s anchor to a corner of the frame.

With the sea anchor complete, Jack yelled to Captain Kurogumo, ‘LOWER THE SAILS!’

Against his better judgement, the captain gave the order. Without sail power, though, the Black Spider lost much of its steerage and they were in serious danger of broaching.

‘LAUNCH THE SEA ANCHOR!’ Jack ordered Manzo.

With a grunt, Manzo tossed the heavy canvas frame over the side. They watched as the sea anchor slowly sank beneath the surface, the rope trailing out behind them.

‘HOLD FAST!’ warned Jack.

As the line reached its end, the chain was yanked taut. The Black Spider jolted and spun on its axis. Its bow turned to face the howling wind and cresting waves. A mountain of foam and sea charged towards them, threatening to engulf them all.

‘This is sheer madness!’ Tiger exclaimed, diving for a safety line.

‘Curse you, gaijin,’ bawled Captain Kurogumo from the helm.

Skullface stood nose to nose with Jack, his sword still drawn. ‘I’ll meet you in hell, gaijin.’

32

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Pirate Island