Paul Durham - Dishonour Among Thieves

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

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

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

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 ask,

And curse the Luck Uglies in shadows and masks.

In shadows and masks, in shadows and masks,

Curse the Luck Uglies

In shadows and masks.

– ‘Shadows and Masks’,

From Songs of Salt and Stout

and other High Isle Favourites