第八章：在琥珀蓄奴地寻找琥珀(12)

puff puff…’ He flapped his whip in an exhausted way. ‘This is an outrage. I’m in charge here, not you, Stoick! ‘We want to get as much amber as possible, you lazy slaves, so let’s get you working as widely as we can,’ puffed Snotlout, re-asserting his command. ‘I’ll stay here, where it’s a bit safer, with a few of you as bodyguards, but the rest of you guys spread out as far as possible – your lives don’t matter. Stoick,
when we get back to the prison I shall put you on report.’ Snotlout pointed a shaking whip at Stoick. And then something unexpected happened. Gobber the Belch stepped forward and calmly wrestled Snotlout’s whip from him, broke it in half, and gave it back to him. ‘We are not in prison now, Snotlout,’ said Gobber the Belch. ‘Out here,’ said Gobber the Belch, ‘Stoick is in charge.’ Crossing his arms, Gobber looked sternly down into Snotlout’s eyes, as Snotlout swallowed, realising that these words might have a sinister significance. It was true, they could not even see the prison out here, just the red sands that stretched out for

ever in all directions and the little group on their sand-yachts standing silently in the wilderness, many of them past their prime, but still old Warriors whose fighting ability Snotlout knew well. And there were fifteen of them and only one of Snotlout. ‘We have to go back sometime,’ hissed Snotlout, shaking his broken whip. ‘We cannot stay out here for ever. And when we do, I’ll have you killed as a revolutionary…