The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy, Todd Harris Page B

their patience—at the exact same time. The stone rocketed from Ella’s slingshot, straight at Greenfang’s head—but before it could hit its mark, a mongoose leapt into the air, blocking the shot. The animal let out a shrill yowl as it was knocked off the road.
    “Ambush!” Greenfang shouted.
    But Liam was already swinging through the air. Orangebeard looked up just in time to see the bottoms of Liam’s boots before they pounded into his whiskery face. The bounty hunter tumbled to the dirt as Liam landed on the driver’s bench and yanked on the reins, bringing the horses to a sharp stop.
    Duncan, who was already precariously balanced on the back of the wagon, dropped the keys and flew forward into the cage, the door of which slammed shut and locked behind him.
    “I don’t remember planning that part,” he said, lying in Gustav’s lap.
    “Liam?” Frederic asked.
    “You can thank me later,” Liam said, turning to face the captives. “Right now, we have to get out of here.”
    This was punctuated by four quick thwipp ing sounds as Periwinkle Pete fired a volley of arrows at the wagon. Each hit its mark, pinning the edge of Liam’s cape to the wooden driver’s bench. Liam struggled, trying to face front again, but he was trapped under his own cape. “Oh, crud.”
    Ella, in the meantime, had charged out of the woods on her horse and was crossing swords with all the remaining bounty hunters. “Hey, Liam,” she yelled, ducking a swipe from Greenfang. “You wanna start the getaway anytime soon?”
    “I’m trying,” Liam grunted as he thrashed about under the tightly stretched cape. “Anybody back there have something sharp? I can’t reach my sword.”
    Duncan opened his belt pouch and pulled out the small sculpting knife that he carried “just in case I come across some clay.” He passed it to Liam, who clasped the little blade awkwardly between two fingers and began hacking away at his collar. “I can’t believe I’m losing my cape this early,” he grumbled.
    “Oh, my goodness! Ella’s in trouble,” Frederic said as his former fiancée simultaneously kicked away a giant mongoose and deflected a battle-ax.
    Gustav stared longingly at the battle. “Aw, man. I so want in on that.”
    “Look!” Rapunzel said, pointing behind the wagon.
    Snow White had crept out of the forest on foot, her many colored ribbons flapping in the breeze. She picked up the fallen key ring and cautiously approached the prison wagon.
    “Yay, Snowy!” Duncan whispered gleefully.
    With care, Snow climbed up onto the back of the wagon.
    “You can do it, Snow!” Frederic cheered softly.
    “Of course I can,” Snow said. “Do you know how often Duncan locks himself inside things? All sorts of things, too: trunks, cabinets, lunch boxes—”
    “Snow, the cage ,” Rapunzel reminded her.
    Snow giggled sheepishly, turned the key, and swung open the door—at precisely the moment that Liam succeeded in cutting free of his cape. “All right,” he said. “Let’s get out of here!” He cracked the reins and startled the horses into action.
    As the wagon took off at top speed, Snow wobbled and began to fall backward. Everybody in the cage dove for her, each grabbing a ribbon. Together, they all yanked her back up—and into the cage with them. The door slammed shut behind her.
    “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Gustav grumbled. They’d now increased the number of prisoners from three to five.
    “It’s okay,” Snow said, holding up her arm. “I still have the key— EEP! ” The wagon hit a bump, and the key ring flew from Snow’s hand, landing in the dirt behind them.
    “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Gustav repeated.
    “Don’t worry,” Liam said, glancing over his shoulder at them. “As long as I’m in the driver’s seat— Oof! ” Liam was sent flying to the ground as a giant mongoose pounced onto the driver’s bench and took his place.
    “Jackie Fat-Whiskers!” Duncan shouted.
    As the wagon careened