They scrambled hungrily asore as the ship broke up in the waves. They had made the voyage in the darkest shadows of the hold, among a cargo of spices that would mask the taint of rotting meat on rich men's tables. Such putrid flesh would have been much to the taste of these long -tailed stowaways. They had brought with them a horror scarce viler than abominations bold John Ferris had seen ordained in the name of strange, secret religions. He had seen death in many forms, but few as agonising and long-drawn-out as this devil-cursed affliction. And though the name of the ship that bore the plague was The Hope of Mankind, what succour could there be for any man- no matter what dark god he called upon for salvation - who stood in the way of so foul and terrible a pestilence?