"David Eddings - The Dreamers 01 - The Elder gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

‘Maybe a week’s worth - if we ration it.’
 ‘How about food?’

‘It’s a little skimpy, Cap’n,’ Ox reported. ‘The Fat Man’s been complaining about
that for a couple of days now. The Fat Man’s not the best cook in the world, but he
does know how to pad up the beans and salt pork with seaweed if things get tight. I’d
say that water’s our main problem.’

‘Maybe it’ll rain,’ Ham-Hand said hopefully.

‘“Maybe” don’t drink too good,’ Ox said in a gloomy voice. ‘We’d better find
some land, and we’d better find it fast. Otherwise ...’ He left it up in the air, but the
others got his drift.
 2



The crew of the Seagull was on short rations for the next few days, but
then on a steel-grey morning before the sun rose, Kaldo Tree-Top, the
tallest man aboard, shouted ‘Land ho!’ from the top-mast. A shorter man
might have missed the low-lying smudge on the eastern horizon, but
Tree-Top, well-nigh seven feet tall, saw it quite clearly.
‘Are you sure?’ Ham-Hand shouted up to the gangly lookout.
‘Real sure.’ Tree-Top called back. ‘Two points off the port bow, and
three - maybe four - leagues away.’
‘Go wake Ox,’ Ham-Hand told Rabbit, the small, wiry crewman
standing nearby.
‘He don’t like to get woke up this early,’ Rabbit replied. ‘It makes him
real grouchy.’
‘Just kick his foot and then run,’ Ham-Hand suggested. ‘He’ll never
catch you. That’s how you got your name isn’t it?’
‘I can outrun my own shadow,’ Rabbit boasted, ‘but if I happen to trip
and fall, old Ox’ll tromp on me for the rest of the day.’
‘Shinny up the mast,’ Ham-Hand advised. ‘Ox don’t climb none too
good. I need to let him know that we’re about to make a landfall.’
‘I’d really druther not, Ham-Hand.’
Ham-Hand clenched his huge fist and held it in front of Rabbit’s nose.
‘I’d do a quick turn-about on my druthers, if I was you, Rabbit,’ he said
ominously. ‘Now quit complaining and do as you’re told.’
‘Don’t get excited,’ Rabbit said, backing away. ‘I’m going.’
Ox, however, surprised Rabbit with a sudden burst of enthusiasm. Of
course, Ox required a great deal of food and drink because of his size, so
an unexpected landfall brightened his entire day.
The Seagull was at least as fast as her namesake, and by the time the
sun came up, the coast ahead was clearly visible. ‘Go tell the Cap’n that
we’ve made a landfall, Rabbit,’ Ox commanded.
‘Why me?’ Rabbit whined.
‘Because I said so. Don’t stand around and argue with me, Rabbit. Just
go.’