"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 01 - The Winds of Gath" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

Chapter Three


THE BOAT was crude, rough planks lashed with scraps of
wire, plastic, plaited vines. It had no sail, no keel, only thwarts
for the rowers, a rudder, a pointed prow. An outrigger had been
added as an afterthought but even so the vessel was as seaworthy
as a coracle.

"Row!"

The skipper, bare feet hard on the bottom, bare chest
reflecting the sun, yelled the order. His voice was bigger than it
should beтАж too big when compared with the stark cage of his
ribs, the skeletal planes of his face.

"Row, damn you!" he yelled. "Row!"

Dumarest grunted as he threw his weight on his oar. Like the
boat itself it was crudely fashioned by men who had scant
knowledge and less skill. A boat, to them, was something which
floated. They knew nothing of balance, correct ratios, the art
which turned dead wood into a thing alive. They had simply built
a platform from which to raid the sea.

He grunted again as he tugged at the stubborn pole with the
flattened end. Water oozed from between the planks and wet his
bare feet. The sun was hot on his naked back. He had won his
place because he was big, because he seemed fit, because he
could swim. Megan was guarding his clothes.
 "There!" The skipper pointed and leaned his weight against
the rudder. Something had broken the surface and he headed
toward it. "Faster!" he yelled. "Faster!"

They did their best. None of them were strong; strength needs
food. None of them were fat; travelers could never be. All were
desperateтАФstarvation was too real a threat. So they flung their
weight at the oars, gasping in the heat, fevered in their hunting
frenzy.

The skipper tensed as they drew close to the spot he had
marked. He would get two shares of whatever they caught. Three
would go to the owner of the boat safe on shore. The rest would
get one share each.

"Steady!" He eased the rudder and dashed sweat from his
eyes. He was over-anxious and knew it but it had been too long
since he'd made a catch. Small fish, sure, with half of them going