{"product_id":"2940013693326","title":"The Port of Peril","description":"Grandon had never seen a killer-norgal, and so when he felt a sharp tug\u003cbr\u003eat his trolling-line, and a magnificent specimen broke water, leaping\u003cbr\u003ehigh in the air and shaking its head to dislodge the hook, he had one of\u003cbr\u003ethe greatest thrills that had ever come to him, intrepid adventurer\u003cbr\u003ethough he was. Its body, covered with glistening blue scales and\u003cbr\u003ebristling with sharp spines, was about twenty-five feet in length. Its\u003cbr\u003eenormous jaws, when distended, revealed row upon row of sharp,\u003cbr\u003eback-curved teeth in a maw large enough to take in a dozen men at a\u003cbr\u003esingle snap.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKantar the Gunner jerked the oily cover from his mattork, but before be\u003cbr\u003ecould bring it to bear on the huge fish, it dived out of sight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrandon kept a taut line on his quarry while the crew skillfully\u003cbr\u003emaneuvered the little craft to follow its eccentric and exceedingly\u003cbr\u003eswift motions as it dragged the boat farther and farther out to sea.\u003cbr\u003eAfter more than an hour of this, the struggles of the monster became\u003cbr\u003eslower, indicating that it was beginning to tire. During this time, it\u003cbr\u003edid not once expose itself to the deadly aim of the watchful Kantar.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSuddenly, without warning, the line slackened, and although Grandon\u003cbr\u003ereeled in with all his might, he was unable to pull it taut. He thought\u003cbr\u003eat first that the fish had become unhooked, but the flash of a dorsal\u003cbr\u003efin, for a moment visible above the waves and coming swiftly toward the\u003cbr\u003eboat, showed him the true situation. Kantar's mattork spoke, and the fin\u003cbr\u003edisappeared, but it was not evident whether he had registered a hit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne of the older sailors, an experienced norgal fisherman, said:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Beware, Majesty. The killer is about to strike.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDropping his tackle, Grandon seized an eighteen-foot lance which lay\u003cbr\u003ealong the gunwale beside him, and poised it expectantly. He had not long\u003cbr\u003eto wait, for the enormous jaws suddenly emerged from the water not ten\u003cbr\u003efeet from him. He plunged the keen point down the cavernous maw, and\u003cbr\u003eKantar's mattork spoke again and again, while the mighty jaws ground the\u003cbr\u003ethick shaft of tough serali wood into splinters. Hurling the useless\u003cbr\u003ebutt from him, Grandon whipped out his sword, but he sheathed it again\u003cbr\u003eas the great spiny body turned over and floated belly up after a few\u003cbr\u003econvulsive flops. The blood which poured out through one of the gills\u003cbr\u003eshowed that the lance point had found the heart, and several round holes\u003cbr\u003ethrough the head attested the marksmanship of Kantar.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sailors were making the prize fast, chattering and laughing all the\u003cbr\u003ewhile, when the keen-eared Kantar suddenly cried: \"Listen, I hear\u003cbr\u003eshooting!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEvery voice was instantly hushed, and there came, distinctly now, the\u003cbr\u003esounds of a terrific bombardment from the north.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The camp is attacked,\" cried an old sailor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"To the oars,\" ordered Grandon, \"and crowd all the sail on at once. Cut\u003cbr\u003ethat fish loose. We must get there as soon as possible.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe huge, spiny carcass was cast adrift, and sails and oars were\u003cbr\u003espeedily put into use. Yet, it seemed to Grandon that the swift little\u003cbr\u003eboat, which fairly leaped over the waves under this double propulsion\u003cbr\u003emoved with snail-like slowness.","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47083157192944,"sku":"2940013693326","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013693326_p0.jpg?v=1763584453","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013693326","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}