Dishonour Among Thieves. Paul Durham

      

      

       Copyright

      First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Children’s Books 2015

      HarperCollins Children’s Books is a division of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd,

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      London, SE1 9GF

      The HarperCollins Children’s Books website address is www.harpercollins.co.uk

       The Luck Uglies: Dishonour Among Thieves

      Text copyright © Paul Durham 2015

      Map illustration copyright © Sally Taylor 2015

      Cover design © HarperCollins Publishers 2015

      Cover illustration © Jeff Nentrup

      Paul Durham and Sally Taylor assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work.

      All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

      Source ISBN: 9780007526925

      Ebook Edition © 2015 ISBN: 9780007526932

      Version: 2015-03-05

      For my three muses, who inspire me even when I’m a grump.

      CONTENTS

       Cover

       Title Page

      Copyright

       Dedication

      Map of the Isle of Pest

      A Shanty about Bargains

      1. ONLY TROUBLE KNOCKS AFTER DARK

2. THE MUD SLEIGH

3. GRABSTONE

4. MESSAGES UNDELIVERED

5. THE SNIGGLER

6. A VILLAGE DROWNING

7. SCALES AND SWINE

8. WHERE NOBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME

       9. THORN QUILL’S

       10. SPIDERCREEP

       11. FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES

       12. IN SHAMBLES

       13. A LOSING HAND

       14. THE SLUMGULLION

       15. THE SALT

       16. THE PULL

       17. BELONGERS

       18. THE CURSE OF BLACK ANNIS

       19. THE STONE ON THE SILL

       20. THE WAILING CAVE

       21. TIES THAT BIND

       22. THE SHOEMAKER

       23. KISS OF THE SHELLYCOATS

       24. THE UNINVITED

       25. WHAT THE WIND BRINGS, THE TIDE TAKES AWAY

       26. UNDER THE CRIMSON HAT

       27. GRIT

       28. THE BELLWETHER

       29. TREASURES

       30. A FORK-TONGUED CHARMER

       31. REVENGE OF SLINISTER VARLET

       32. THE TOLL

       Epilogue: Beyond the Shale

       A Seafarer’s Guide to Mumbley-Speak and other High Isle Chatter

       About the Publisher

       Map of the Isle of Pest

      

       Come all would-be heroes and join me in song,

       And curse the dread outlaws plagued this Isle for so long.

       So take heed my warning, of no favours ask,

       Beware the dread outlaws in shadows and masks.

       In shadows and masks, in shadows and masks,

       Beware the dread outlaws

       In shadows and masks.

       Our troubles were many, our hopes they were slim.

       A dark stranger arrived, he packed promise with him.

       On the greyest of nights a bargain was struck,

       What then seemed good fortune turned black ugly luck.

       In shadows and masks, in shadows and masks,

       Beware the dread strangers

       In shadows and masks.

       They’ll promise you freedom and all that you dream,

       But look past their guise, they’re not what they seem.

       Your sons and your daughters, in bed safely tuck,

       Hold tight what you cherish for that they shall pluck.

       In shadows and masks, in shadows and masks,

       Beware the dread scoundrels

       In shadows and masks.

       My son he now stalks the dark b’yond the sea,

       Family forgotten, but what matters to he?

       So take heed my warning, of no favours