Sargasso Skies by Allan Jones Read Free Book Online

antagonize him!”
    â€œExcuse me, but there’s every need!” grumbled Esmeralda. “He’s a total loony and a complete waste of our time!” She paused at the head of the final steep stairway to the stage. “Listen, my lad,” she said. “It’s up to you and me and Jack to get ourselves out of here.”
    â€œHow?” Trundle asked mildly.
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe we can convince the steam moles to help us after all. Come on, Trun, we need to go and talk to Jack.” She winked at him as she began to climb down the steps. “Top secret, you know! Maximum security! Mum’s the word!”
    Chuckling to himself at her perfect imitation of the commander, Trundle followed her down into the unending chaos of the opera house.

A s they came down to ground level again, they heard a piercing shriek and saw Sheila go plummeting by into the orchestra pit. There was an odd booomoiiinnnggg sound, rather like a stoat hitting a drum. Sheila rose up again, her arms and legs flapping. She lost momentum and fell, accompanied this time by the sound of a drum skin tearing apart.
    â€œMy drum!” someone yelled. “Get her out of it!”
    â€œGurrrgh . . . urrrgh . . . wurrgh . . .” Sheila gurgled as several pairs of helpful hands lifted her out of the broken drum and carted her off while the drummer sat by, his face in his paws, sobbing quietly to himself.
    Trundle and Esmeralda made their way down to the side of the orchestra pit. Jack was there, the musical score spread out across his knees. He was perusing it with a furrowed brow while adding some rosin to the bow of his rebec.
    His face cleared as he saw his friends approaching. “My, but this is good larks!” he said with a grin. “It’s total mayhem, of course, and I can’t make head nor tail of the opera the count has written. But it’s such a treat to be among other musicians—I’ve really missed that, you know.”
    â€œWell, I’m glad someone is enjoying himself,” said Esmeralda. “But there’s still the Crown of Wood to be found, Jack! We can’t stay here forever. I know we’ve outrun Aunt Millie and the pirates for now, but they’re never going to give up looking for us. I’m sorry if I’m spoiling your fun, but we need to get out of this place as soon as possible.”
    â€œI agree,” said Jack, unperturbed by Esmeralda’s tone. “We were told to seek for the crown in Hammerland, were we not?”
    â€œWe were,” agreed Trundle.
    â€œWell, just take a guess where the first performance of the count’s opera is due to take place?” Jack’s grin stretched even wider. “I’ll give you a clue. It begins with an H and ends in “ammerland”!”
    Esmeralda gaped at him. “Truly?” she gasped.
    â€œAbsolutely!” nodded Jack. “First stop, Hammerland.”
    Esmeralda gave Trundle a slap on the back. “Didn’t I tell you not to lose heart, Trun, my lad?” she declared, although so far as Trundle could remember she had said no such thing. “I knew the Fates wouldn’t let us down!”
    â€œSo, if we stay with the opera house, we’ll get taken to Hammerland,” said Trundle. “That’s marvelous . . . if the place ever gets finished, that is.”
    â€œHmm, good point,” said Esmeralda. “Someone needs to take this lunacy in hand, and quickly, too!” She stared around herself, rolling up her sleeves. “Us Roamanys have been putting on shows and erecting big tops for five hundred years!” she announced. “I’ll show ’em how to get organized.” She fixed a determined eye on a crowd of goats failing to raise a timber beam. “And I’ll start with that useless bunch!”
    Trundle and Jack watched as she marched over to the fumbling creatures and started shouting orders.