‘Absolutely not,’ Augustus Shackleford retorted, now using his best fire and brimstone voice. ‘That was entirely the Froggy’s idea.’ He tucked his crossed fingers inside his cassock and stared at the curate innocently.
Percy narrowed his eyes. He’d spent so many years with the Reverend, he knew exactly when the old reprobate was pitching the gammon.
‘I think…’ the clergyman went on, only to pause as Finn came running up. ‘Ah jus’ seen one o’ the sailors leavin’ the ship,’ he hissed, pointing to a shadowy figure walking down the gangplank.
‘Tare an’hounds, the others aren’t here yet,’ the Reverend grumbled. ‘If he’s our traitor, ain’t he supposed to wait until his absence is not likely to be noticed?’
‘Ah dinnae think anyone explained that tae ‘im,’ Finn shrugged, ‘an naeboddie be watchin’ anyways. Shall ah gaun tell the Captain?’
‘Has he told the crew about the change in destination?’ Reverend Shackleford asked, watching the sailor’s progress down the wharf.
‘Ah dinnae kenn,’ Finn answered, running along the deck to keep the man in sight.
‘Thunder an’ turf,’ the Reverend grumbled. ‘Why does every conspiracy we come across have to be so deuced complicated?’ He shook his head in disgust as Finn began hopping up and down in nervous excitement, looking for all the world as though he was about to enter a boxing ring.
Augustus Shackleford ground his teeth in annoyance, unsure what to do. In the end, Finn made the decision for him. Shaking his head in frustration, the boy turned and ran towards the gangplank, Flossy at his heels.
‘Fiend seize it,’ Percy muttered in a rare display of temper. Then, by unspoken mutual consent, the two men lifted their cassocks and took off after the boy.
As they hurried along the wharf, the first carriage was arriving carrying Roan, Gabriel, Faith and Hope. Seeing the two clergymen heading towards them, Roan commanded the driver to stop and leaned out of the window.
‘What’s happened?’ he demanded as the two clergymen came up alongside.
‘I reckon our bloke’s legged it,’ Augustus Shackleford wheezed as Percy ran on ahead. ‘Finn’s on his tail.’
‘Please don’t do anything foolish, Father,’ Faith called worriedly, leaning round her husband.
‘Chance would be a fine thing,’ the Reverend groaned, leaning against the side of the carriage. ‘By the time I get there, it’ll likely be all over bar the deuced shouting.’
‘I think one of us should accompany you,’ Gabriel announced, leaning forward to open the door.
Reverend Shackleford shook his head. ‘Finn’s headstrong, but the lad’s not bird-witted. Just tell the Froggy.’ And with that, he took off again.
‘Damnation,’ Hope muttered. ‘Finn might not be bird-witted, but I can’t say the same about Father.’
By the time Augustus Shackleford turned onto the main quayside, he could see no trace of either Percy or Finn. ‘Thunder and turf,’ he puffed, sitting down on a convenient lobster pot to get his breath back. A couple of minutes later, he caught sight of Percy coming towards him.
‘Finn’s vanished,’ the curate reported, his face white.
The Reverend felt panic grip him the like of which he’d not felt since the incident with old Queen Charlotte and the duck-pond. ‘He can’t just have disappeared into thin air. Which way did he go?’
Percy shook his head, sitting down next to his superior. ‘There are several small warehouses just before the end of the quay. I think he might have gone into one of ‘em, but I daren’t go in and look. If the lad’s hiding, my arrival could give him away.’ The curate looked as though he was about to cry, and for a second Augustus Shackleford felt like joining him.
‘Did you see Flossy?’ Percy shook his head. ‘Well, in that case, it stands to sense they’re both in hiding. It’s what Finn and Flossy do best. If they’d been found, you’d have heard the deuced commotion from here.’
The Reverend laid his hands on his knees, thinking for a second. ‘I think our best option is to get as close as we can to the warehouses without being seen,’ he went on, his voice growing more decisive. ‘The lad’ll send Flossy for help if he needs it, so it’s our job to be as close as possible, just in case.’ He clambered to his feet. ‘Come along, Percy, my man, there’s no time to lose.’
Finn was undeniably proud of his ability to blend in with his surroundings whenever he needed to. It was a skill he’d learned as an orphan on the streets of Banalan, though he hadn’t had cause to use it so much since Percy and Lizzie Noon had become his parents.
He slowed down as he got closer to his quarry, calling Flossy to him and strolling casually, while making sure to keep his distance. At the end of the main quay, the sailor turned to the left and was abruptly out of sight.
Picking Flossy up, he hurried towards the place he’d seen the deckhand disappear and peered cautiously round the corner. In front of him were three warehouses – or at least that’s what they’d been in the beginning. Finn doubted they’d housed anything more than rats in a long time.
‘What do you think, Floss?’ he whispered. He cast his eyes slowly over the dilapidated buildings. Initially, he could see no sign of the man he’d been following until all of a sudden he spotted movement. A door opening and closing.
Finn felt his heart slam against his chest and wanted nothing more than to run in the opposite direction. But what good would that do? If he was going to discover anything useful, he had to get closer. Unfortunately, that meant crossing the very empty distance to the warehouses. After a moment’s hesitation, he buried his head in Flossy’s soft fur, gaining comfort from the little dog’s warmth. Then, straightening his shoulders, he took a deep breath and stepped out into the open. Whistling softly, he sauntered across the empty piece of ground, looking for all the world as if he was enjoying a morning stroll.
With every step, he expected a sudden shout ordering him to stop, and by the time he reached the shadow of the first warehouse, he was trembling almost uncontrollably. Leaning against the sagging wall, he stayed put, allowing his quaking to subside while Flossy licked his ear.
