Crossbone Children and the Orphans of Avalon

by Gregory Ellis

  After eating, the boys gathered around Buster Jack - who by the light of a single lantern sat and told elaborate and vivid tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Buster Jack's mother did the same for her children as they grew up. Buster Jack told John that his mother was very adamant that they learn the stories. For some reason, they were very important to her. She read them out of an old book she possessed. His mother could read and write and tried to teach her son and daughter to do the same. Buster Jack by his own admission, said he did not take it serious but Ava had. When their mother became sick and died, Ava continued. Each night she would read the stories before they went to sleep, just as Buster Jack was doing now except he had to do it from memory.

  In their tiny darkened space aboard the ship, the boys huddled close to one another. Their dirty white faces gazing up at their story teller, eyes fixated on every word and gesture he made in the dimly lit room. They giggled, cheered and laughed as Buster Jack detailed the many adventures of the infamous knights and their king. He also told of strange magical tales of the wizard named Merlin and his constant battles with the evil sorceress, Morgan le Fey. She desired, above all else, to be the rightful Queen instead of Arthur, her half-brother. In a battle, Arthur was mortally wounded and Morgan took him to her island of Avalon to heal. King Arthur is never heard of again. Most of the boys fell asleep before he finished the stories. Buster Jack quietly confided that the stories his mother told from the book had long since been exhausted and he was now making up new ones just to help pass the time - to take their minds off their fears.

  When Buster Jack mentioned Avalon, John remembered what the woman by the pond had told him about the Island of Avalon and how 'she' kept them all prisoners there. Had he actually been on Avalon and was Morgan Le Fey still alive he wondered. He decided not to mention it to his friend. Not yet anyway.

  One night after Buster Jack concluded the story he said, "I don't know how much longer I can come up with new stories, John. I'm afraid I'll have to start repeating them over again."

  John smiled, "I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Besides from my reckoning you should only have to do it another week or so. We are close now." John smiled.

  Buster Jack did not smile back. "What do you think will happen to us?"

  That question often kept John awake at night as he pondered what was to become of his new-found friends. "I don't know. When we arrive I'll make inquiries and see if anything can be done. I promise!"

  Buster Jack nodded, "Thank 'ee, John. When we first spied you on deck with Roscoe, we thought you was one of 'em; think'n we was scum and not worth spit. But you saved Fynn and…well, all that changed."

  John smiled. "If I tell you something you promise not to tell the others?"

  Buster Jack nodded, "Yes."

  John then related to him in a whispered voice about him being in the Navy and serving as a midshipman. How his father had disappeared and was believed dead when he fell overboard during storm, just like Fynn. He told him how his mother insisted on him going to Jamaica to find out what happened.

  "I kind of figured you knows about boats and such the way you walked about the deck like you been in ships a'fore."

  "I didn't know it showed." John smiled. "Anyway, I better get back to my cabin. I'll see you tomorrow."

  As John made his way aft, Mr. Cumberbatch loomed out of the shadows. "You become quite chummy with them children haven't yah?"

  John considered him for a second, "Why shouldn't I?"

  "No reason. Most of your sort don't mix with their sort."

  "I suppose you're right, Mr. Cumberbatch, but I learned a few years ago that station should not be a weapon to be used against such. It should be used to help them improve their lot."

  Cumberbatch was taken back by such a statement. "Well, that's a good thing yer do'n Mr. Henry. I knows 'cause I was just like them poor buggers. Being brought up in the streets of London meself!"

  "You don't say." John smiled and disappeared down the hatchway.

  The next day, the masthead lookout called down to the deck, "Sail on the horizon!"

  Captain Roscoe yelled up to the lookout. "Where away?"

  "Right astern of us, Sir." The unknown ship was behind them.

  Captain Roscoe took a large telescope from its rack and scanned the horizon, but could not see anything out of the ordinary. He turned back and looked up the masthead. "You better be correct Mr. Hatch, or you will be punished for a false report!"

  Down came the lookout's voice again, "She's hull down Sir." Which meant only the tops of masts of the other ship could be seen,

  Roscoe yelled up, "What's 'er course?"

  Hatch replied, "Matching ours, Sir!"

  Cumberbatch walked slowly over to Roscoe and said quietly. "You think'n what I be think'n Sir?"

  Without taking his eye from the glass Roscoe remarked, "Pirates?"

  "Aye, we be in pirate waters about now."

  Captain Roscoe closed the glass with a snap. "Well, we won't wait around to find out." He strode to the helm and commanded, "Full canvas!"

  To the loafing sailors on deck, Cumberbatch shouted, "All hand aloft, full sail!" The sailors responded immediately and the ship answered lively, plowing through the slow Atlantic rollers which sent the spray of cool saltwater over the beak-head, dousing passengers and sailors alike. Once all available canvas had been released to the wind the sailors handled the lines to trim the sails to catch as much wind as possible.

  Roscoe shouted, "Mr. Cumberbatch, I want double the lookouts tonight. I want no surprises!"

  "Aye, aye Sir." Cumberbatch looked over the larboard side and thought to himself. They'll be no sleep'n tonight!

  John made his way to the bow of the ship and stood next to Buster Jack and the others as they strained to see the other ship. "Does all this mean another ship is out there?" Buster asked John.

  "Yes, but it's behind us. The other ship is too far away to tell what it is.

  The captain doesn't want to find out if it is a friend or foe, so he has ordered all available sail to try and out run her. We usually shorten sail for the night, so tonight will be a rough one I'm thinking."

  After a moment Buster Jack asked, "What do you think it is?"

  "Don't know for sure," John mused. "But I know pirates can be in these waters. The closer we get to Jamaica, the more likely."

  "Pirates you say?" Some of the other boys heard him.

  John held up his fingers to signal Buster Jack to be quiet. "I'm not saying it's a pirate ship - I'm only saying it's a possibility." In his mind, John was not convinced. The way the other ship was matching their course and speed which meant it had either not seen the Hopeful, or it was stalking it. Either way, they would know by morning. He did not want the others to worry.

  Whispering, Buster Jack asked, "What if it is a pirate? Will it go bad for us?"

  "I wouldn't worry about it tonight. Captain Roscoe may not be a good man as far as we are concerned, but he will certainly not want his ship to fall into pirate hands."

  Buster Jack swallowed hard, "If it be pirates, will they kill us?"

  Without hesitation John smiled and said, "No. They want whatever valuables we have onboard. Pirates usually have faster ships and more guns. If it is a pirate and they catch up to us and if Captain Roscoe is smart, he will obey their order to heave to. They'll board us and take whatever they want and will leave us alone. From what I have seen, this ship doesn't have anything of value unless they need supplies. On the other hand, if the Captain does not do as ordered, they will fire on this ship. When we are dead in the water, they will board us and probably kill the captain and anyone else they want. But as I said, even pirates would not hurt children. Can't say the same for our gallant Captain."

  No one slept that night. Captain Roscoe ordered the children below but said nothing to John Henry. So throughout the night John slipped quietly from the deck, went to his cabin for an hour or so, then reappeared to standing with members of the crew as they
peered into the night trying to see the other ship. Captain Roscoe ordered the ship darkened so the other ship could not see their location. Apparently the other ship did the same for there was no sign of anything beyond the sides of the Hopeful, just the sound of the gentle breeze filling the sails and the sluicing of the water as it passed down the hull of their ship.

  With sunup, came the expected hail from above. "Deck there, ship on the horizon!"

  Cumberbatch was standing watch as the report was made. He yelled, "Where is she now?"

  Captain Roscoe instantly appeared from below deck and quickly walked to the helm. Down came the reply from the lookout, "Bearing down on us. Off the larboard bow."

  The other ship had somehow managed to get ahead of the Hopeful during the night and now had the wind in its favor. It was only a matter of time now. The big question on everyone's mind was: who was it friend or foe?

  Roscoe and Cumberbatch both drew telescopes and scanned the horizon. Cumberbatch was the first to find the unknown vessel, "Aye, there she be Capt'n!

  Roscoe found the ship, "At this rate she'll be up to us in a couple of hours. Do you see her flag?"

  "No, Sir. Else I can't make it out yet." Cumberbatch replied.

  The Captain turned and yelled up to the lookout. "Do you see any flag or recognition signal?"

  Back came the reply, "No sign of one, Sir."

  Captain Roscoe took one more look through his telescope, lowered it and snapped it shut. He walked quickly over to the helm and took out a chart of the area as Cumberbatch joined him. They scanned the chart looking for a way to hide. Perhaps there was a way to out maneuver the other ship in shallow waters or hide behind a nearby island.

  While in the Navy, John often heard older sailors talk of pirates and their ways. They said pirates were cruel and blood-thirsty. He heard names like Henry Morgan, Bartholomew Roberts who some called Black Bart. And of course the infamous Edward Teach also known as Blackbeard. Henry Morgan had died in 1696 and Blackbeard died just a few years ago. There were many less known pirates still lurking in the waters of the Caribbean. Pirates like Calico Jack. It was reported that he had two pirate women onboard his ship, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Calico Jack preyed on small merchant and fishing boats instead of larger, better defended ships.

  As a merchant ship, the Hopeful would be considered a prime target for pirates like Calico Jack and Black Bart. Just the name was enough to scare most seasoned sailors.

  After studying the chart, Roscoe announced, "Get every stitch of canvas bent on, we'll try and out run the bugger!"

  The crew hurriedly went about their tasks of getting all available sail on the ship. John produced his own telescope and found the mystery ship half hidden by the glare of the rising sun and the sea's spray. No doubt about it, the other ship was on a converging tack and would be up to the Hopeful within a few hours no matter what Captain Roscoe did now. There was no place to hide. He was only delaying the inevitable.

  John decided to speak with Buster Jack and the other children. He crossed the deck and made his way forward. The Captain was not going to let the children up on deck now that the strange ship had been sighted, so John went down the ladder and into the forward hold.

  Fynn was the first to see him, "John, did you see the ship?"

  Careful not to alarm them unnecessarily, John spoke slowly, "Yes, Fynn. The Captain is trying to outrun it just in case it is not a friendly one."

  Another asked anxiously, "Could it be pirates then?"

  "Don't know, Ethan. In these waters, you never know who might appear over the horizon."

  "But, what if it is pirates? Will they kill us?" a voice called out.

  John held up his hands in the dim light of the hold trying to quiet them. "Listen, all of you. There is no indication that it is a pirate ship. It could be another merchant vessel seeking any news from another ship freshly out of England. News is hard to come by in these waters and so passing ships often trade information."

  He tried to explain in simple terms what he told Buster Jack the night before. "Now until we know for sure what kind of ship that is, just stay down here and don't give the captain reason to be angry. As much as we all dislike Captain Roscoe, he is in command and right now he's trying to figure out a way not to lose his ship.

  Just then they all heard the report from the lookout. "She be flying a pirate flag, Capt'n!"

  Instantly they heard Roscoe. "Can you tell which one?"

  "No, Sir. But it be a black one!"

  The children heard the exchange and pressed forward towards the hatch, John and Buster Jack held them back, "Please. Do not go on deck or the Captain will have the hatch chained shut. Just sit down and wait. I'll go and see what is happening and I promise you I'll come back and let you know."

  Hugh, stepped out from the others as he said. "You, Rich Boy. Think the pirates will leave you alone when they finds you here?"

  Little Fynn ran in front of Hugh. "John knows about pirates. Leave him alone."

  Hugh pushed Fynn away like he was swatting at a fly. Fynn stumbled and nearly fell but Buster Jack caught him.

  John whirled around and stood eye-to-eye with the larger boy and very calmly, but forcefully, "If you don't do what I say, you may endanger all our lives and it won't be pretty my friend."

  There was silence in the dark hold as the two boys squared off. Without taking his eyes off Hugh, John said forcefully, "Now, stay down here and be quiet!" The two stood facing each other for a few more moments. As if accepting what John said, Hugh shrugged. "If I get the chance, I'm gonna join them pirates! Better than being here!

  Buster Jack stepped up next to John. "What makes you think they would have a sprig like you?"

  Hugh said over his shoulder as he turned away, "Stay out of my way, Jack. You know what I can do."

  Before climbing the ladder John said to Buster Jack, "Don't let them out of the hatch. Captain Roscoe is running scared and might even order the crew to shoot anyone who appears on deck."

  With a worried look in his eye, Buster Jack asked again, "Will it go badly? What would they want with us?"

  John slowly shook his head, "You are of no value to them. They'll leave us be, trust me." He clapped Buster Jack on the shoulder and scampered up the ladder and through the hatch.

  As John walked aft, he watched the sailors. Their eyes told him they were scared and not well accustomed to having pirates about.

  Thinking about what Hugh said, John remembered hearing some pirates did ask their captives if they wanted to turn pirate. They could always use good, seasoned sailor that weren't afraid of earning a handsome wage while being free from the law. Even though most pirates realized their lives were not very long. They certainly would not take mere boys!

  The Captain saw John walking toward the quarter deck and said gruffly, "If you please, go below and stay in your cabin until this business is concluded." John just nodded. He knew Roscoe did not want him on deck for what was about to happen. He decided that if the pirates boarded, he did not wish to lose some of his possessions like the money he kept in a purse, stashed inside his shirt and his sextant, compass and telescope.

  When he entered his cabin, he quickly searched for a place to hide them, but there really was nowhere to hide them. The best he could do was to bury them in his seagoing chest and hope for the best. With no port to look out to see what was going on, John made his way back to the hatch ladder and stood looking up trying to hear what was happening on deck.

  Then he heard the bone-chilling report from the lookout, "Deck there. She be the Royal Fortune, Black Bart's ship!"

  John thought he heard a gasp from the crew when they learned the most feared pirate in the Caribbean was rushing down on them. He quickly made up his mind, he could not stay here and wait. He decided to wait until the pirates were closer and the Captain and crew occupied. Then he would go to the hold and stay with the boys.

  The still of the morning was shattered by the sound of a single cannon shot fired from the
pirate ship. It was a warning meant to make the Hopeful's captain see that it was futile to prolong the unavoidable. This was his chance. He poked his head through the hatch just enough to see Captain Roscoe, Mr. Cumberbatch and the crew watching the ominous approach of the pirate ship. He thrust himself through the hatch and walked quickly along the deck toward the forward hold. As he did so, he saw the pirate ship bearing down on them. It was a much larger vessel than the Hopeful - square rigged with three masts. He saw the cannon muzzles poking out of the open ports. All aimed at them - a force well beyond anything the Hopeful had.

  John stood by the forward hatch and heard Captain Roscoe give the order to heave too and prepare to be boarded. He dropped through the hatch and scurried down the ladder. He turned to see the boys' dimly lit faces. They all shouted at once wanting to know what was happening. "Did they shoot at us?" someone asked.

  John held up his hands. "Please. Everyone. Be quiet. I have a plan." He waited until there was silence in the confined space. "The pirates fired a warning shot across our bow. Captain Roscoe is heaving too and is expecting to be boarded. What that means is, the pirates will not fire any more at this ship. Don't worry. They will come on board and search for valuables or supplies they might need. They will search this area and find us here."

  Hugh's voice rang out - "What do you mean, us?"

  Fynn spoke up, "You gonna to stay with us?"

  John smiled as he patted Fynn on the head, "Yes, I'm staying with you." Without waiting, he continued. "Everyone sit down and pretend you have not been out of this hold for a long time. When the pirates find us, they will order us to come up on deck so they can see us better and so they can search the hold. I need you to act like you are very scared and have not seen the sun for days. They'll have pity on us and leave us alone. When they are done searching the ship, they will leave. Can all of you do that?"

  There were a few mumbles and nods as they began to sit down as ordered. John looked around the cargo. It was a dismal scene. Everywhere he looked was a dirty face half hidden in shadow, anxious, hungry and weak, exactly as he wanted them to appear. The more pathetic the better it would go for them. Black Bart had a reputation of being ruthless where men were concerned but he had never heard of a pirate mistreating children. Now, they would just have to wait and see.