10/02/2026 16:55

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I must admit that my Latin is not as fluent as yours, Captain. Hal looked for the source of light and found a small iron grating setinto the deck directly above his head. We ask your blessing upon his arms in the conflictthat lies ahead. Each time he parried and retreated,he lost position and balance.

Earsbuzzing, Hal scrambled upright again and stared down in awe at thedevastation they had created. Althuda suspected that he was the one who had betrayedhim, and had reported his return from the mountains to Major Loten. It was impossible to aim a ballfrom the plunging deck of one ship to a precise point on the hull ofanother- accuracy was in the hands of the Almighty rather than those ofthe master gunner. SirFrancis picked out the shape of the Buzzard's ship, black against thedarkling sky, and raised the slender brass tube of the telescope to hiseye.