Chapter 21
JOHANNA RAN.
Roald and Karl were already in the dinghy with the Shepherd and the two scouts still on the jetty. Roald was trying to reel in the sea cows’ ropes, but the animals were nervous and kept tangling the gear. They clambered in the boat, which wobbled with the weight of all these people. Karl kept a nervous eye on the water level on the outside of the hull.
The sea cows were tugging at the harness. It was impossible to reel them in so they’d have to do that after casting off. Johanna unhooked the rope from the pylon and the animals took off with such speed that she almost fell overboard. They tore across the churning expanse of water.
A dense mist hung over the far bank, blanketing the camp. Even before the forms of the tents resolved from the mist, the sound of shou
