Chapter 141: Battle Stations

To Gunnar's surprise, cheers went up from the crowd. He started to turn to walk away, but Lycon grabbed him by the shoulder.

"What should we do with them, admiral?" he asked.

Gunnar looked at the Darvellian scouts. The standing one seemed unconcerned, while the one on the ground glared nervously.

"Eh, let them go," he said. "They can't cause any..." But he paused, chewing on a loose strand of his mustache and thinking. Then he pointed at the one on the ground. "That one called me ugly," said Gunnar. "Untie his hands, then make him walk the plank."

"Untie his hands?" said Lycon. "Sir, in these shallow waters, it really won't do him any harm."

"Yeah. But he'll be all wet."

As Lycon followed his orders, Gunnar found Ragny and pulled him aside.

"Sir?" said Ragny.

"We're going to need some defenses made," said Gunnar. "If an army really is waiting up the river, like these men said..."