of the unknown.
Ben felt Ned's thoughts. "Where we are bound, mate, only heaven knows."
The boy pressed his cheek against the black Labrador's soft fur. "I don't care, as long as we're
together, Ned."
Soon the fishing smack was nought but a tiny dot on the face of the world's great and
mysterious waters.
It is said that in the big house of Adamo Bregon, Comte of Veron, a picture hangs on the wall
of the dining hall. This fascinating and beautiful artwork is greatly admired by all who see it.
Within a gilt-embossed frame a boy stands with a black Labrador dog sitting by his side. The
dog looks gentle and intelligent, its soft dark eyes friendly. An animal that anyone would be
proud to own. The boy is poorly clad in the manner of one who follows the sea. Barefoot, with
frayed and worn canvas breeches and a tattered calico shirt. His unruly tow-coloured hair is
ruffled by the breeze. But it is the lad's clouded blue eyes that draw the onlooker closer. No
matter where you stand in that room, those strange eyes are looking straight at you. The boy is
leaning on some rocks, with cold mountainous seas heaving behind him. Lightning rips
through a storm-battered sky. In one corner, riding the wild waves, is a dim depiction of an
unmanned sailing ship, its rigging illuminated by the eerie green light of St. Elmo's fire. Many
visitors ask why the picture was not painted in a rural landscape with the mountains as a
background. After all, Veron is many leagues from the sea. The artist will only say that he saw
the picture in the eyes of the boy, who was once as close to him as a brother. If you saw the
eyes for yourself, you would readily believe him. In the lower right-hand corner of the
picture, the artist has signed his name.
Dominic de la Sabada Bregon
BRIAN JACQUES says:
"The intrigue of the Flying Dutchman's castaways continues in my second tale. This time Ben
and his loyal dog Ned have determined that they will never, never go to sea again—but they
find themselves on a French pirate ship! And this time there are three captains they must
battle.
Two are human, and the third? The ghost of the vengeful Captain Vanderdecken!
"Travel across the realms of ages to another time, another place, another adventure, with even
more riddles to solve. Join Ben and Ned on another adventure!"
BRIAN JACQUES is the author of the best-selling Redwall novels, as well as many related
books. He was born, raised, and still lives in Liverpool, England.
Visit his Web site at www.redwall.org
FROM THE AUTHOR OF REDWALL
Brian Jacques
The Angel's
Command
A TALE FROM
CASTAWAYS OF THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
FIREBIRD
Text copyright © The Redwall Abbey Company, Ltd., 2003
Illustrations copyright © David Elliot, 2003
All rights reserved
Jacques, Brian. The angel's command: a tale from the castaways of the Flying Dutchman /
Brian Jacques;
illustrated by David Elliot, p. cm. Sequel to: Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
Summary: Ben and Ned, a boy and dog gifted with eternal youth and the ability
to communicate with one another nonverbally, encounter pirates on the
high seas and rescue a kidnapped prince from a band of gypsy thieves.