Chapter Five
Neither Duncan nor Tanaqua mentioned the snake in the morning but they stayed near each other as the canoes were loaded, and took the paddles of the same canoe as Bricklin gave the order for the convoy to push away.
The Dutchman, in his faster dugout, worked his way back and forth among the big cargo canoes as if herding them downstream, conspicuously pausing to watch Duncan as he worked the paddle in long, powerful strokes. He nodded his approval and sped forward, yelling at a pair of Welshmen to balance their canoe better.
It had been many months since Duncan had been on open water, and with a flush of excitement he touched the neck pouch with his spirit totem inside. As he did so he was drawn back to the days of his youth, sailing the waters of the Hebrides with his gran
