‘The story, Papa!’ Horace broke in.
‘Sorry,’ Papa Niko said. ‘I tend to get a little side-tracked when it comes to epic adventures. Where was I? Oh, yes, it all started when three albatrosses arrived in the dead of night with a letter from the governor of Aladrya.’
‘The governor of Aladrya?’ Horace said in surprise. ‘Are you saying that Governor Cazban dispatched those birds?’
‘That’s right,’ Papa Niko replied. ‘Those three albatrosses are part of Cazban’s official courier service.’
‘But what did mi uncle want with da chief of West Freeforia?’ Benny asked.
‘A great deal, it seems,’ Papa Niko said. ‘According to his letter, he caught wind of a convoy of pirates preparing to attack the gold mine. He believes the pirates will arrive sometime later today.’
‘Bad news travels fast,’ Ruby said, sharing a look with her companions.
‘He must have captured one of the escaping pirates as they sailed down the Hawk River,’ Whisker thought aloud.
‘However he found out, he wouldn’t have shared da information out of goodwill,’ Benny said cynically. ‘I’ve never known Uncle Cazban to help anyone without expecting something in return.’
‘You’re right about that, Benny,’ Papa Niko agreed, stepping out of earshot from the meerkats and gesturing for the others to draw closer. ‘The governor’s message related to a treaty he recently asked me to sign.’
‘A treaty?’ Horace repeated from the middle of the huddle.
‘An agreement between two nations,’ Papa Niko said. ‘The governor has been pestering the four tribal chiefs about it for some time now. He said it would be beneficial for both our nations.’
‘What did this treaty say exactly?’ Ruby asked.
‘It waffled on with a whole lot of flowery language,’ Papa Niko said, waving his paw through the air. ‘But in a nutshell, it requested sovereign rights over a piece of Freeforian land to establish a Blue Claw navy base. In return, General Thunderclaw and the Aladryan navy would provide protection against any pirates and marauders attempting to invade our island – effective immediately. It’s worth noting that, in Freeforian law, all four tribal chiefs must be in agreement before such a treaty can take effect.’
‘And did you sign the treaty?’ Horace asked.
‘I’ll get to that shortly, Son,’ Papa Niko said. ‘But first, I should tell you that the other three tribal chiefs all gave their approval while I was absent at the Pirate Cup. Without a navy of our own, they decided that it was in the best interests of our nation to sign. As you know, Freeforia has been a simple farming nation for the best part of a hundred years, but the discovery of the new gold mine changes things.’
‘And did the governor ask for a cut of the gold along with the land?’ Ruby asked.
‘Strangely, no,’ Papa Niko said. ‘And it was the reason the other chiefs signed the treaty so eagerly. All the governor requested was a worthless, uninhabited piece of land to establish his base. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Wild Peninsula.’
Ruby shrugged. ‘Horace may have mentioned it in passing, but I can’t recall any details.’
‘There’s not much to recall,’ Horace said. ‘The place is a rocky wasteland.’
‘Still, a rocky wasteland is not something to be handed over lightly,’ Papa Niko said, ‘especially to a governor as calculating as Cazban.’ He looked to the chimpanzee. ‘Benny’s father has told me enough about his power-hungry brother to convince me that Governor Cazban is no more trustworthy than a Cat Fish.’
‘So you didn’t sign the treaty?’ Horace said.
‘Not exactly,’ Papa Niko replied with a sigh. ‘As the tribal chief, my first priority has always been to protect the lives of my citizens. The prospect of a pirate invasion ultimately forced my hand. I signed the treaty, but added a condition, just in case Cazban was lying about the attack. If the pirates hadn’t set foot on Freeforia by sunset today, the deal was off.’
‘Oh, so that explains why you didn’t want us to land on the island,’ Horace said. ‘We are pirates, after all.’
‘Yes, Son,’ Papa Niko said. ‘I thought the timeframe would give me enough time to investigate the mine’s defences and to negotiate a peaceful solution with any pirates who sailed into the bay. It’s surprising how much can be achieved over a mug of Apple Fizz.’
‘Let’s hope Fred thinks to roll out a barrel or two if those pirates arrive early,’ Ruby said. ‘We’re not exactly in their good books after the Trophy of Champions found its way into the governor’s hands.’
‘There’s not much we can do about that now,’ Whisker said, eager to move on from the subject. ‘And we are yet to learn why Papa Niko was taken prisoner.’
‘I’m still trying to figure that out myself,’ Papa Niko admitted, glancing around the cave. ‘Yesterday morning, after the albatrosses left, I visited the mine to warn the geologist about the attack and to see if he had any security measures in place. I planned to be back within the hour to convene a meeting with the tribal elders. Needless to say, the meeting never went ahead.’
‘When I arrived at the gate, the meerkats on duty told me that the fox wasn’t currently on the island. Half expecting such a response, I asked to speak with one of the supervisors instead. The meerkats informed me that both supervisors were also absent, and that I should come back the next day. When I refused to leave, insisting that it was an emergency, they threw a bag over my head and dragged me into the mountain. That was a full day ago. Since then, I’ve been tied up in this gold mine with no clue as to why I was here, or what was going to happen to me.’
‘Well, for a start, there is no gold mine,’ Horace said bluntly.
‘Hercules biceps!’ Papa Niko exclaimed. ‘So what the Tasmanian devil is going on in this volcano?’
‘It’s one big counterfeiting ring,’ Horace said, turning to face the meerkats. ‘Isn’t that right, lads?’
The meerkats stared at the floor, pretending they hadn’t heard him.
Papa Niko shook his head in disbelief. ‘Well, that’s certainly a surprise, but don’t waste your energy trying to get a confession out of those four. I tried questioning them for hours before they eventually gagged me. They’re as stubborn as mules.’
‘Rotten pies to tight-lipped meerkats,’ Horace muttered, re-joining the huddle ‘The fox must have sworn them to secrecy.’
‘Hmm, there might be one way to get them to talk,’ Ruby whispered.
‘How?’ Horace hissed.
‘Oh, it’s just a little something I picked up from Rat Bait,’ she murmured. ‘You know, interrogation tactics and all that.’
‘It’s worth a shot,’ Papa Niko said, glancing across at the captives, sitting silently with their heads bowed. ‘They’re not about to pour out a confession on their own.’
‘Okay,’ she whispered. ‘But for this to work I’ll need you to play along with me. If they guess we’re bluffing, they’ll never talk.’
‘Agreed,’ Horace said. ‘What do you want us to do?’
‘Act mean,’ Ruby said. ‘Really mean.’
Drawing one of her swords, she led her companions back to the seated group of meerkats.
Horace gave the closest animal a kick in the backside. Horace’s toe came off second best.
‘That’s for tying up my Papa,’ he winced.
Ruby pushed him aside and moved to the next meerkat.
‘You!’ she said, peering down at him.
He looked up at her but didn’t speak.
‘Oh, so now you can hear me,’ Ruby said in a contemptuous tone. ‘I guess you’re just a little bit slow when it comes to the talking bit?’
The meerkat didn’t respond.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asked. ‘Has the fox got your tongue?’
The meerkat looked awkwardly to one side.
Ruby leaned closer, tapping his mining helmet with her sword. ‘That’s right. I know what’s going through that head of yours. You’re thinking
, as long as I keep my mouth shut, everything’s going to be fine. She won’t hurt me, not with all the secrets I know. I’m simply too valuable.’
Ruby pulled away. ‘Well, you’re right – and then again you’re also dead wrong. You see there are four meerkats here, not one. And I only need one of you to spill the beans.’
She glanced around the group. ‘So, here’s what I’m going to do. While the rest of you boys wait patiently by the furnace, I’m going to take one special meerkat for a walk over to that wooden door – you know, the one with the nasty big crocodiles behind it. Together, we’re going to play a little game called Answers or Chances. It’s rather simple, really. Either you start giving me answers or you can take your chances with the Chomping Crocs. No pressure. If you don’t want to talk, I’ll simply move on to the next contestant and let you walk out the door. So, who’s first?’
There was dead silence.
‘This one,’ Horace said, prodding the smallest looking meerkat with his hook. ‘He looks like a tasty fellow.’
The meerkat’s eyes went wide with terror.
‘Splendid,’ Ruby said, turning her back on him. ‘Bring him along, boys, and we’ll see what insights he has to share.’
Whisker and Horace grabbed the meerkat by the arms and began dragging his long body across the floor, leaving Benny, Smudge and Papa Niko standing guard over the remaining captives.
‘I-I don’t know nothing,’ the meerkat spluttered as he neared the door. ‘Take one of the others.’
‘We will,’ Ruby said, ‘just as soon as we’re finished with you. I always like to double-check my facts.’ She turned around and smiled at him. ‘And if your answers are in any way different to the answers of the next meerkat, I’ll feed you both to the crocodiles.’
Gulping, the meerkat was dropped roughly against the small rock, his wrists and bootlaces still tied securely.
‘Stand back, boys,’ Ruby said to Horace and Whisker. ‘This could get messy.’
The two rats darted behind the mound as Ruby strode over to the door. With her body pressed flat against the wood, she slowly reached towards the doorknob.
‘Time to choose,’ she said, wrapping her fingers around the doorknob. ‘Answers or chances?’
The meerkat squeezed his lips together, refusing to speak.
Ruby’s fingers gripped tighter on the doorknob.
‘Last chance,’ she said.
The meerkat began to tremble.
‘She’s not really going to open that door, is she?’ Horace whispered in Whisker’s ear.
‘No,’ Whisker said. ‘But the meerkat doesn’t know that.’
Still waiting for an answer, Ruby slowly began to turn the doorknob.
‘Stop!’ the Meerkat pleaded, finally caving under the pressure. ‘I’ll tell you everything you want to know. Just don’t tell the fox. And don’t open that door.’
Ruby released her grip on the knob, letting out a small sigh of relief.
‘That wasn’t so hard,’ she said, quickly resuming her intimidating demeanour. ‘Now for my answers.’ She marched towards the meerkat. ‘Question one, why? Why go to the trouble of setting up a counterfeit coin mint in the middle of a volcano?’
‘I-I don’t know,’ the meerkat said with an innocent shrug. ‘The fox never told us.’
‘So what DID he tell you?’ Ruby snapped.
‘Only to keep producing coins until you pirates showed up and then to blow up the evidence,’ the meerkat said.
‘Hang on,’ Whisker said, rushing out from behind the mound. ‘Are you telling us that you knew about the pirate invasion in advance?’
‘Err … well, we didn’t know for certain until yesterday morning,’ the meerkat murmured. ‘But the gunpowder has been ready to blow for a couple of days.’
‘Did the albatrosses fly here to warn you?’ Ruby pressed.
‘I don’t know nothing ‘bout no albatrosses,’ the meerkat said with a blank expression. ‘The only news I hear is from the supervisors.’
‘And where are these supervisors now?’ Ruby asked, looking around. ‘And the rest of the miners? What happened to everyone?’
‘They’re gone,’ he said vaguely.
‘Gone where?’ Ruby persisted.
The meerkat squirmed awkwardly and looked at the floor.
‘I can’t quite recall,’ he mumbled.
‘Oh, really?’ Ruby said, marching towards the door. ‘Let me remind you that this game doesn’t end until I have all my answers.’
‘Alright, alright, I’ll tell you,’ the meerkat relented. ‘They’ve gone to the other mine.’
Ruby stopped dead in her tracks.
‘What other mine?’ she gasped, spinning around.
‘The pink diamond mine,’ the meerkat said, giving up all pretence. ‘It’s where the real mining is happening.’
Diamonds are Forever
‘Shiver me dazzling diamonds!’ Horace gasped, scrambling down the side of the mound. ‘That’s impossible. There are no pink diamonds left on Freeforia. The last one was found over a century ag–’
‘You might have to rewrite your history books,’ Ruby said, cutting him off.
‘Aye,’ Whisker agreed, already putting the facts together. ‘If what this meerkat is saying is true, the massive pink diamond in the fox’s cane is no antique stone. It’s fresh out of the ground.’
‘But that’s ridiculous!’ Horace exclaimed. ‘Surely the Freeforians would have heard about a new diamond mine on their island.’
‘Maybe they did,’ Whisker said, recalling something he had heard during the Pirate Cup. ‘Do you remember the story Mama Kolina told us – the one about the penniless prospector who turned up in East Freeforia begging for supplies?’
‘Vaguely,’ Horace admitted. ‘Didn’t the townsfolk laugh him out of town for rambling on about that mysterious ghost ship of yours, the Black Shadow?’
‘Yes, that was part of it,’ Whisker said. ‘But according to your mother, he returned to the Wild Peninsula in search of diamonds and simply vanished without a trace.’
‘And you think this prospector stumbled upon the mine, and the meerkats captured him to keep their secret safe,’ Ruby said.
‘Just like they kidnapped my Papa,’ Horace added.
Whisker nodded. ‘That would be my guess.’
‘So,’ Ruby said, glaring at the meerkat, ‘who else have you kidnapped besides Papa Niko?’
‘Only old Joe the prairie dog,’ the meerkat confessed. ‘He might be the prospector you’re talking about. I-I don’t know. I’ve never been to the diamond mine. All I know is that the miners come and go through the lava tunnels with the rest of us meerkats.’
‘One entrance, two mines,’ Whisker said thoughtfully. ‘It’s no wonder the Freeforians never suspected a thing.’
‘So where is this secret diamond mine?’ Horace asked. ‘Don’t tell me it’s in the centre of some croc-infested lake?’
‘N-no,’ the meerkat stammered, both eyes fixed on the door. ‘It’s on the other side of the volcano, at the end of the last lava tunnel.’
‘You mean in East Freeforia, where all the other diamonds were discovered,’ Ruby said.
‘I, err … I think it’s a little north of there,’ the meerkat said in confusion.
‘So it’s in North Freeforia then,’ Ruby said impatiently.
‘Not necessarily,’ Horace said, drawing a map in the air with his hook. ‘North Freeforia isn’t technically north of East Freeforia. It’s north-west of East Freeforia, making North Freeforia directly north of West Freeforia.’
Ruby rolled her eye. ‘North, south, east, west … I’ll never understand this island. Would somebody just tell me the location of the diamond mine before I feed you all to the crocodiles?’
The meerkat let out a small whimper and looked to Horace for an answer.
Horace scratched his brow with his hook. ‘I think I’ve confused myself with all the norths and easts. What was the clue again? North of East F
reeforia or east of North Freeforia?’
‘Oh, for goodness sake,’ Ruby groaned. ‘How hard can this be? The mine lies somewhere to the north of the last lava tunnel, on the other side of the volcano.’
‘Right,’ Horace said, moving his hook through the air. He stopped at an imaginary location and let out a loud cry of exclamation, ‘Shiver me latitudes! That would put the diamond mine on the Wild Peninsula – the same land Governor Cazban wants to get his greasy fingers on.’
Ruby’s jaw dropped open in disbelief. ‘No way! Surely the governor doesn’t know about the diamond mine.’ She looked to Whisker for a response, but the apprentice was already lost in thoughts, his mind churning over what Horace had just said.
As startling as the revelation was, it was Horace’s last two words that stuck in his mind.
Fingers on …
It was as if the words were trying to tell him something – alluding to something he had witnessed in the past.
Whose fingers were they? he asked himself, unable to make to connection. And why are they important?
Searching harder for an answer, he allowed himself to be drawn into the world of his memories.
Images floated in front of his eyes like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, waiting to be assembled.
Diamonds, cards, fingers …
As he concentrated harder, the pieces slowly merged together to form a picture.
And suddenly, he was no longer in the cave. He was crouching outside the high roller’s room watching a game of cards between a fox and a mysterious cloaked stranger.
The stranger’s face was hidden beneath a hood, but Whisker could see his fingers clutching the cards. They were long and ape-like, with a powerful grip, but there was something delicate about the way they moved across the cards.
Whisker was certain he had seen fingers like that before.
Not before, he realised – since.
He could see them clearly in his mind: picking locks, gripping paddles, hurling boomerangs.
They were Benny’s fingers. The fingers of a chimpanzee.
The Golden Anchor Page 18
