The Horned Viper Read online

  .

  Hopi couldn’t bear to stay on the deck any longer. The eyes of the crew followed him everywhere. But he didn’t want to go into the cabin, either, where Tutmose must be sitting enjoying himself with Sheri and Kia. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps it was just a case of waiting until they reached their destination. But the atmosphere on the deck was getting steadily worse, and Hopi longed to escape.

  He reached the hatch that led from the deck into the cramped hold and peered into it. Awkwardly, he clambered down the steep, narrow steps, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. At first, he thought there was nothing there – nothing but foul-smelling water swilling around the bottom. But then he began to see more in the gloom: on wooden boards above the water sat sacks of grain, flagons of beer and wine, and caskets of other foodstuffs. Of course – this was where Hat-Neb kept his supplies. There were finer goods, too – bowls, caskets and statues of wood and stone, some of them representing Hat-Neb himself. Hopi listened to the Nile waters lapping the hull of the boat, and gave a sigh of relief. It was much more peaceful than on deck.

  A scuttling, squeaking sound caught his attention. There were rats down here! He felt a thrill of excitement. His viper could catch one – it would be wonderful to watch it hunt. He reached for his papyrus basket, then hesitated. Was it really wise to let the viper loose? He weighed it up in his mind. Hat-Neb and the others wouldn’t be back for hours – they had taken their lunch with them. The crew had nothing to do, and no reason to visit the hold. There would be plenty of time to catch the snake before the others returned.

  His mind made up, he pulled the papyrus basket from his bag. He wedged it between two sacks, took off the lid and watched as the viper slowly emerged, on full alert, to explore its new environment. At once the snake headed into the darkness between the bags of grain. Hopi felt a pang of anxiety. He couldn’t see it now. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all . . .

  ‘Hopi!’ A voice made him jump. It was Tutmose.

  Hopi squinted up at the hatch. ‘I’m here.’

  The doctor’s face peered down at him. ‘What are you doing in there? Come on up.’

  Hopi looked around the hold. The snake had completely disappeared. ‘Yes, coming,’ he called, trying to catch a glimpse of the viper.

  ‘Well, come on then,’ insisted Tutmose.

  There was no choice. He’d just have to find the snake later. Reluctantly, Hopi climbed back up the ladder and out into the bright daylight.

  The doctor seemed surprisingly cheerful. ‘So,’ he said, ‘you were going to teach me something. You haven’t forgotten, I hope?’ He held out a small ceramic jar from the cabin, along with a piece of linen.

  ‘Oh!’ Hopi was startled. Panic rose in his chest. He had hoped that Tutmose had forgotten the idea – and now the snake was no longer in his basket. ‘N-no . . . it’s just that . . .’

  ‘Come, we will go to the far shelter.’ Tutmose smiled. ‘No one will disturb us there.’

  Hopi tried to smile back, but couldn’t. He gazed down the deck and saw that the crew were watching them, their eyes flitting from Hopi to the doctor and back again. He took a deep breath.

  ‘I . . . I can’t,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry, Tutmose. I don’t think the viper can be milked after all – it’s not like a cobra. I think it’s better left alone.’

  ‘What’s changed your mind?’ Tutmose seemed annoyed.

  Hopi didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t think of an excuse.

  Tutmose looked at him closely. ‘You’ve released it, haven’t you?’ he demanded.

  ‘No, no – well, not exactly,’ stuttered Hopi.

  ‘Show me your basket.’

  It was no use. He would have to tell Tutmose what he had done. ‘It’s down there. In the hold,’ Hopi whispered.

  ‘What? Loose?’ Tutmose almost shouted.

  ‘Sshhh. It’s perfectly safe. I’ve let it out so that it can catch a rat, if it wants to. I’ll catch it again before anyone needs to go down there.’

  The doctor’s face filled with anger. ‘How could you be so stupid?’ he hissed.

  Hopi scrambled towards the hatch. ‘I’ll catch it again right away,’ he said hurriedly. ‘I was going to anyway. I’m sorry, Tutmose.’

  But at that moment there were shouts further along the deck. The crew were on their feet, calling and pointing. Hopi and Tutmose looked out across the Nile to see what the fuss was about. There, just a few paddles’ length away, was the hunting expedition that had set off only a few hours before.

  .

  Isis started calling. ‘Hopi! Sheri! Kia!’ she cried, waving her arms as the little fishing boats reached the shore.

  The fishing boats’ owners appeared, looking very surprised to see their property back so soon. Hat-Neb stepped out, swaying, and cursing under his breath. Nebo steadied him, and he tottered up the bank.

  ‘I must complain to my wine merchant,’ he muttered. With great determination, he struggled across the little harbour to clamber up the ladder of his own boat, then stood leaning on the rail to catch his breath.

  Isis followed him up. The first person she saw was Hopi, who was staring at them as though they had come back from the Next World, not just the west bank marshes.

  Hat-Neb gulped a few deep breaths, then turned to Kerem. ‘Tell your men to bring up all the flagons of wine from the hold,’ he ordered. ‘I want to inspect them. Then set sail for Djeba.’ Still staggering, he walked along the deck and disappeared into the cabin.

  Isis saw the alarm on Hopi’s face as the crew gathered around Kerem. The captain began to give orders and her brother suddenly interrupted.

  ‘Kerem, let me fetch the flagons,’ he said. ‘It will help your men. I have nothing else to do.’

  Fetch the flagons? Isis stared at her brother. Whatever was he thinking of, taking on the work of the crew? He’d never manage it, not with his injured leg.

  ‘You can’t!’ she exclaimed. ‘They’re heavy, Hopi. It’s not your job.’

  ‘Shut up, Isis.’ Hopi looked furious. ‘Just keep out of it. I’ve told you before.’

  ‘But you can’t!’ Isis felt tears of indignation surfacing. It had been such an awful morning, and now this! Hopi was being really stupid. ‘They are heavy. Why can’t the crew do it?’

  Hopi stared at her. A flicker of despair crossed his face, and all of a sudden she realised that this had nothing to do with the flagons of wine. He wanted to go into the hold for some other reason. An important reason. But now it was too late.

  ‘Isis asks a very good question.’ It was Nebo who spoke. He must have been watching ever since they’d come back on board. ‘Why you want to do this, Hopi?’

  Hopi’s shoulders sagged. ‘I just wanted to help,’ he said weakly. Then, with a spark of anger, he glared at Nebo. ‘Some of the crew are injured, if you hadn’t noticed.’

  Nebo nodded. ‘Ah, the crew, the crew,’ he said, in a mocking tone. He stepped towards the hatch, and gestured down at it with an open hand. ‘Come then, Hopi. Now you care for the crew so much, we go into the hold. You and me, we go together. This is very good idea, yes?’

  And Isis knew, with a sinking heart, that she had somehow dumped her brother right in it.

  .

  Hopi descended the steps slowly, thinking fast. There would be no hope of catching the viper now. He would have to make a show of moving the flagons, and hope for the best. Nebo was much too tall for the little hold and stayed at the bottom of the ladder as Hopi put down his bag. There was no sign of the snake. Hopi reached for the first of the wine flagons and picked it up. Isis was right. It was very heavy. There was no way he could carry it up the narrow steps on his own.

  But he would have to try. With a grunt, he picked up the flagon and staggered over the wobbly boards towards Nebo. He deposited it at the fan-bearer’s feet, then went and picked up another.

  ‘Stop this. You are being very stupid.’ Nebo’s deep voice was angry.

  Hopi ignored him.
He dropped the second flagon next to the first, and reached for a third. He shifted it, easing his hands underneath it, then stopped and stared. The viper was there, hiding behind the flagon. It moved slowly, sluggishly, and Hopi immediately saw why. Just behind its head, the viper’s body had swollen into a big lump. It had caught and swallowed a rat.

  There was a movement at his shoulder, and he realised that the fan-bearer had stooped down to creep up behind him. Nebo had seen the snake. His breathing was fast and shallow, and Hopi realised that he was afraid.

  ‘You bring big problem on this boat,’ said the fan-bearer.

  Hopi felt a surge of anger. He shook his head. ‘No,’ he said. ‘You don’t understand. It was this snake that saved us.’

  But Nebo wasn’t listening. ‘A snake is danger,’ he insisted. ‘A snake brings sickness.’

  ‘This snake hasn’t harmed anyone!’ cried Hopi. ‘I’ve kept it safe the whole time – it’s been in my papyrus basket. I only just let it loo—’

  ‘Now I see why you keep this basket and stick.’ Nebo’s voice was low with menace. ‘You tell me big lies. I do not like lies. You catch it.’ The guard’s fingers dug into Hopi’s shoulder. ‘You catch it and you bring to show Hat-Neb.’ He stepped back to the ladder, and waited.

  Hopi knew when he was defeated. He picked up his stick and bag, and approached the snake. Sensing his presence, it shifted its coils and rasped at him. Ffffff. But, weighed down with its meal, it had no desire to move quickly. With a flick of his stick, Hopi captured it, lowered it into the basket and replaced the lid.

  The Nubian nodded grimly, and turned towards the steps. ‘Follow me,’ he instructed Hopi, and began to climb towards the daylight.

  .

  Isis watched anxiously as Nebo reappeared out of the hold with Hopi behind him. Nebo gave Hopi a push towards the cabin. Isis followed them in. Hat-Neb was lying down, his eyes closed, while Sheri wiped his forehead with a damp piece of linen.

  ‘Master,’ said Nebo, ‘this boy, he is nothing but trouble.’

  Sheri and Kia looked up in alarm. ‘Hopi!’ exclaimed Sheri. ‘What have you done?’

  ‘N-nothing,’ said Hopi. ‘I caught a viper, that’s all.’

  ‘Show it,’ ordered Nebo.

  Hopi lifted his linen bag from his shoulder. Isis saw him throw a warning glance at Mut, knowing she was terrified of snakes, then reached for his basket. Mut dropped Killer and ran out of the cabin, while Hat-Neb’s eyes bulged with curiosity. Isis craned her neck to see the viper, which lay lazily in Hopi’s hands.

  ‘It’s just eaten a rat, sir,’ he said, as though that could explain everything.

  Sheri and Kia looked horrified. ‘Oh, Hopi.’ Kia’s voice was reproachful. ‘What were you thinking of?’

  ‘You don’t even know what happened,’ retorted Hopi. ‘This viper broke up the fight between the boat crews. It has done only good, and no harm.’

  Hat-Neb grunted. ‘A likely story.’

  ‘It’s true.’

  Hopi’s eyes were bright with defiance, and in spite of everything, Isis felt a rush of loyalty towards her brother. She swallowed hard. ‘I know it’s true,’ she piped up. ‘Kerem told me. He said a snake god had saved them.’

  ‘Saved them?’ Kia sounded incredulous.

  ‘The barge crew were afraid of it. That’s why they stopped fighting,’ said Hopi.

  Silence fell. Hat-Neb seemed to be thinking.

  It was Kia who spoke. ‘But even if this is true, Hopi, why did you bring it on board?’

  ‘I didn’t think it was a good idea,’ said Hopi. ‘But Tutmose told me I should.’

  ‘Did he indeed?’ Hat-Neb stroked his chin. ‘Where is he? Bring him here.’

  Kia went out on to the deck to find the doctor. In the meantime, the cabin fell silent once more. Isis felt her palms sweating. Hat-Neb and Nebo were both looking very serious.

  Tutmose walked in. ‘What is it, sir?’ he asked.

  Hat-Neb waved his hand in Hopi’s direction. ‘I believe you are responsible for this.’

  The doctor appeared startled to see the viper. ‘A snake! Whatever do you mean?’

  Hopi looked dismayed. ‘You told me to bring it on board!’ he exclaimed.

  Tutmose gave a cracked laugh. ‘Absurd,’ he said. ‘I’ve never seen this creature before in my life.’ He made a show of looking closely at the snake from different angles, then turned back to Hat-Neb. ‘But I can tell you what it is. This is a horned viper. You will be pleased to hear that it is not as dangerous as a cobra, but it is a menace, all the same. Most irresponsible to bring such a thing on to the boat.’

  Hat-Neb leaned back on his cushions and turned to the other adults in the room. ‘I have no choice,’ he said, his voice regretful. ‘Tutmose is right: this is a danger, a danger to us all. The boy must be punished.’ He sighed, as though it were a great inconvenience.

  Isis felt herself go cold. She knew that Hopi had told the truth. Everyone waited, tense.

  Hat-Neb reflected for a moment. Then he gave a shrug. ‘Shut him in the hold,’ he instructed. ‘See if he enjoys having nothing but a snake for company.’

  Hopi’s face was still as he lowered the viper back into its basket. He didn’t look at anyone as he followed Nebo out of the cabin. All Isis could think of, as she watched the hatch being closed over him, was how it would feel to be alone, shut in the hold in the darkness.

  .

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Hopi heard the hatch bang shut. He groped his way over to the stores of grain and flung himself down on the sacks. He was furious. Tutmose had betrayed him! After all that talk about the snake . . . Hopi couldn’t believe it. He thumped the sack of grain beneath him, reliving the look in the doctor’s eyes as he had lied outright. How could he! How could he?

  Eventually he calmed down. It was very dark, but slowly his eyes adjusted. He could hear the footsteps on the deck above, the lapping of the Nile waters and the creaking of the wooden planks. And he could hear voices, but they were too muffled to understand. He soon found that he didn’t mind his punishment too much. It was actually quite peaceful. The warm air in the hold made him drowsy, and he drifted off to sleep.

  When he woke, he was hungry. He could just about see, so he could tell that night had not yet fallen. He clambered over to the food caskets, opened one and felt inside. Dried figs! He stuffed one into his mouth before moving on to the next casket. That one was full of dates, and the next one packed with raisins. Hopi grinned. He wasn’t going to be hungry for long.

  His stomach full, he began to feel bored. He decided to explore the hold more thoroughly, for something to do. He felt his way along the food stores – sacks of emmer wheat and barley, dried lentils and beans, a sealed pot of honey, rich pastries. There were all the mats, stakes and linens for the camp shelters. Then came a row of statues, carved in both wood and stone . . . and at the end of the hold, animal skins, cured and made into hangings and rugs.

  The light was fading. His exploration complete, Hopi groped his way back along the sides of the hold, feeling the lining of thick grass that was supposed to soak up any leaks in the wooden planking. And then he stopped. His fingers touched something different. A leather pouch, buried in a thick tuft of grass. Hopi pulled it out. The pouch had a leather thong that tied it shut at the top. Fumbling in excitement, he undid the knot.

  Inside, there were two little bottles, three smaller pouches and a tiny box. Hopi brought them out, one by one, feeling every last detail in the gloom. He sniffed them. Strange, unfamiliar scents reached his nostrils. Carefully, he tucked the big pouch under his arm and opened the box. He sniffed again. A powerful, pungent odour knocked him back. With one finger, he felt to see what sort of substance it was. Powder. It was foul-smelling powder.

  .

  The women and girls watched as Tutmose examined Hat-Neb, peering down his throat and pulling back his eyelids.

  ‘You will be perfectly well tomorrow,’ he said. ‘You are right. There must b
e something wrong with your wine.’

  ‘Thought so.’ Hat-Neb gave a satisfied grunt. ‘Well, I know how to deal with bad wine merchants. He’ll regret it. Now I’m going to sleep.’

  The fat overseer rested his head on a pile of cushions and soon began to snore loudly. He didn’t seem the slightest bit sorry about Hopi. Isis felt distraught.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ whispered Sheri. ‘Hopi will be fine. We’re arriving tomorrow. It’s not for long.’

  ‘But Tutmose lied,’ Isis whispered back. ‘I know he did.’

  Sheri squeezed her hand. ‘Isis, Hopi shouldn’t have brought a snake on to the boat. Whatever the doctor may have done, Hopi had to be punished. It will do him no harm.’

  Isis didn’t think so. Hopi had nothing but rats and a viper for company. And if he said he hadn’t wanted to bring the snake on board, then he hadn’t. She got up and went out on to the deck. Perhaps she would be able to communicate with him somehow. But when she stepped outside, she saw at once that there were other problems on board. Kerem and Nebo were in the middle of a big argument.

  ‘Half the crew not working,’ Nebo was saying. ‘We do not pay lazy men.’

  Kerem shook his head furiously. ‘We fight for you. We injured for you. Two men are very sick.’

  Nebo towered over the captain. His face was ugly and menacing, and Isis was shocked. She had never seen him look like that before.

  ‘You do what I tell you,’ he growled.

  But Kerem wasn’t intimidated. He folded his arms. ‘We are many,’ he said. ‘And you are few.’

  Nebo drew himself up very tall. His eyes flashed, and he flexed his huge muscles. ‘I can snap you,’ he said. ‘You will see.’

  He turned away, and for the first time, he saw Isis watching him. But his expression didn’t change. His eyes were cold. Isis felt as though he looked straight through her. Then he marched past her and into the cabin.

  .

  Hopi put everything back into the pouch. Menna had taught him about many powders and potions, which he combined with magic to treat scorpion stings and snake bites, but he didn’t recognise any of the smells and textures he’d found here. He knew there was only one man on the boat who was likely to have a secret supply of such things, and that was Tutmose.