Doddle spoke up, "Bull Bay. It's very dark there, Sir. Won't be able to see their ship if they don't have light burn'n aboard."
"What difference does that make? When they row the two boats ashore, we will have a surprise for them. Our ships will be out there waiting for them and I'll have a hundred soldiers secluded in the nearby rocks. When I give the signal, they will capture any child on the beach and my ships will converge on the Pendragon and capture her. They cannot get away this time!" Peck bragged.
"What if it is a trick? They could just as easily bring empty boxes?" asked Thaddeus.
Peck walked behind his massive wooden desk as if he were dancing. "No matter. We will either get it on the beach or from their ship. Two things will be accomplished tomorrow night gentleman. The treasure will be returned to me and the so called Crossbone Children will either drown at sea or be brought to land. In which case, we'll have a hanging party at Gallows Point. It will be a brilliant end to those rotten children and the men who helped them!"
Sir Duncan sat down and looked as if he were daydreaming. Morgan Le Fey had directed Peck to dominate the Caribbean, removing any opposition. Then, with him by Morgan's side, they would rule all the islands in the Caribbean. Their plans had been delayed for several months but that was about to end.
The money was needed to buy the ships and the hire men that would attack the major islands and take them away from England, Spain, France and the Dutch. He, Sir Duncan Peck, would make them all beg to buy sugar, molasses, rum and anything else. The old countries would have to pay his price, a steep one at that. At least that is what Morgan Le Fey told him. When he thought of her, his spirit sank. She was too mysterious and powerful to trust. He knew that, but he was in too deep to get out.
Pushing that thought from his mind, Peck retrieved a piece of parchment and wrote something on it. He folded it, melted wax to seal it and handed it to Thaddeus. "Go to the garrison and give this letter to Captain Malins since Colonel Gifford is out with his men training on the far side of Jamaica. It says one hundred of his best men will be required for tomorrow night. Wait for his reply. Return here. I'll be waiting." Peck instructed.
Peck took another piece of parchment and wrote on it. After sealing it, he handed it to Doddle. "This letter instructs Captain Worsley of the Achilles to prepare for a night operation. He and my other ships will take up station just after dark east of Bull Bay. They will anchor in position and douse all lights. When the Pendragon and the treasure are in place, I will have a cannon fire. That will be their signal to up anchor and proceed to the rendezvous point. Tell them that the Pendragon is to be captured, not destroyed. I've decided I want those little fools alive. Worsley is to lead the attack and you and the other ships are to give support - do not let them escape again! Wait for his answer and return here." The two men left the house and did as their master commanded.
Thaddeus rode his horse down the all-too familiar road to the Fort Charles. The guard stopped him but when he announced he was on an errand for the acting governor of Jamaica, Sir Duncan Peck, the impeccably dressed soldier let him pass. He made his way through the stone fort to the commander's quarters where he was announced by yet another soldier who opened the heavy wooden door and bade Thaddeus enter and stand. The soldier left quietly and closed the door. Thaddeus stood a few feet in front of the captain's desk and waited to be recognized. Thaddeus knew Captain Malins would not take kindly to taking orders from a civilian even if Sir Duncan was the acting governor and had been knighted by the king himself - Peck was outside his chain of command.
Malins, still in uniform at this late hour, was seated behind a very large, thick, wooden desk. On top were miniature flags, a few books, maps, ink wells and quills; the room itself was austere with little or no accessories - Spartan like. The captain was busy scratching something on parchment when Thaddeus entered. Malins did not even look up as he spoke, "What is it?" His voice was deep and resonant.
Thaddeus stepped toward the polished wooden desk and held out the envelope. "Message from Sir Duncan Peck, Sir." Malins did not look up but held out his left hand for the message while he continued to write with his right. Thaddeus placed the letter in his hand and stepped back.
"Thank you." said matter-of-factly.
"Sir, I'm to wait for a reply." Thaddeus explained.
With apparent disgust at having been interrupted, Malins laid down the quill and looked up at Thaddeus while he broke the seal. He read the letter in silence and then leaned back in his chair. "Tell me why he needs one hundred of my men? Colonel Gifford has only left one hundred men in garrison; he is with the rest on maneuvers. That leaves me precious few men to guard the prison and maintain the peace in the towns."
Thaddeus did not care about the captain's problems, he was to deliver the letter and answer no questions. "I was not told, Sir."
Malins breathed out long and loud - muttering, "Give someone temporary authority and they— " he did not finish.. Instead, he took the letter, retrieved a quill, dipped it in ink and scribbled something on Peck's letter. He placed the letter back in the envelope and held it out for Thaddeus to take. "Tell your master… I am at his pleasure. The men will be dispatched to Sir Duncan's plantation late in the afternoon."
Thaddeus smiled and bowed from the waist, "Thank you, Captain."
He turned and walked towards the door as Malins said, "If this has anything to do with those Crossbone pirates, my men do not kill or molest children - and that you may also tell your master!" Thaddeus was about to say something, but decided against it. He simply bowed his head and left the room.
Captain Doddle knew Captain Worsley was quartered on shore, in a room above the Green Flash Tavern. Doddle had never been to this particular tavern - there were literally dozens of taverns in Port Royal. Nonetheless, Doddle asked where Worsley's room was from one of the barmaids and quickly ran up the stairs.
There was a Royal Marine sentry from the Achilles on guard outside the captain's door. As he approached, the marine raised his musket to block his way. His face was drained of all emotion. "This here room belongs to Capt'n Worsley of His Majesty's Ship Achilles."
Doddle had no patience for military types. "I know that! I have a letter here from the acting governor, Sir Duncan Peck."
The marine asked, "Wot is the nature of your business, Sir?"
"I just told you. Now announce me at once or Sir Duncan will have you transferred to slave duty on a plantation."
The marine lowered the musket, turned and quietly knocked on the door. There was no immediate response from inside the room they could barely hear the voice of a female. Finally Worsley called out, "What is it, Corporal?"
"Beg pardon Capt'n. Messenger from Sir Duncan - he begs an audience with you sir." The corporal gave Doddle a stern look.
"One moment!" Worsley called out.
"Aye, Sir." The sentry turned his back to the door and stood to one side. His face once again devoid of any emotions.
At length the door opened and Captain Roger Worsley of the Achilles stood there looking like he had been in a fight. His shirt was half unbuttoned, trousers only half buttoned and no shoes. He looked at Doddle and the look of relief spread across his face as he stood blocking the doorway. "Oh, hello, Doddle. What brings you here?"
Doddle did not like professional sea officers. He held out the letter. "I have a letter from Sir Duncan. He bids you read it."
Worsley opened the letter and read it. "Sir Duncan says here you have further details." Worsley did not invite Doddle into his room so they stood in hallway.
Talking in low tones, Doddle explained the Achilles part in the affair. To which Worsley responded, "To attack a ship full of children - these Crossbone Children?"
"Sir Duncan has reason to believe they are harboring other known pirates condemned to be hanged."
"Edward Turnbuckle?" Worsley asked.
"Yes, and a few others. Even though they are children, they are guilty of crimes of piracy."
Worsley shifte
d his weight - agitated. "Very well. Who's in overall command, me or you?"
"We're both under Sir Duncan's command, but while at sea he wishes me to command the four ships. Since you command the larger and more powerful ship, it falls to you to capture the Pendragon. My ship and the others will support - encircle them and cut off any retreat."
Worsley bristled at that. "A king's ship is never under civilian command!"
Doddle shot back, "But a king's ship is under the direction of the local governor of Jamaica - right now the governor is Sir Duncan Peck until the real governor returns!"
Worsley knew he could not win. "You may tell Sir Duncan, the Achilles will be ready to sail when ordered."
Doddle simply nodded and turned, leaving the Achilles captain standing in his doorway with a sour expression on his face. The sentry registered no emotions whatsoever. The captain stepped back and closed the door.
Chapter 27
Just Rocks
Odis Ironpool crept silently to the base of the prison wall and looked up. Thirty feet above him, he could see the large barred window where the Turnbuckle's crew of the Bridget were imprisoned. Taking his bow he fixed an arrow against the bowstring then gauged the shot he would have to make. The shot was not an easy on to make. A thin line was attached to the arrow and he would have to hit the wooden window frame with enough force to make the arrow stick in the wood. He smiled at the challenge. He had made more difficult shots, but this was the most important one and he had to do it on the first try.
It was the ideal night for such a venture. Because of Peck's request for soldiers there were less than fifteen prison guards and the rest of the garrison were off training somewhere on another part of Jamaica. It was tonight, or not at all!
Odis pulled the string back and aimed at the upper part of the window, held his breath and released the arrow. The arrow sped straight to the mark and buried itself deep in the wood. He crouched down in case anyone heard it. He waited, then he saw a hand reach out of the window and grab the string. The string was slowly pulled into the cell. Tied to the string was a heavier rope and tied to the heavier rope was a canvas bag and within the canvas bag were belaying pins, a few knives and dirks, or small swords, and four loaded pistols. The most important item in the bag was a key to their prison cell and a map of how to get out. Odis obtained the key and the map from a friend who worked as a servant within the prison.
Odis watched as the string slowly ascended up the wall to the window and the rope followed. When the rope was inside the window, Odis tied the canvas bag to the rope and let it proceed up to the window. He waited and watched as the bag was pulled between the bars in the window and disappeared. He smiled, this part of his job was done. Now, to get the others and prepare for the morning.
Inside the prison cell, the prisoners heard something just outside the window - like something hitting the wall. One of them looked out the barred as best as he could. Near the opening, he saw the arrow. He aroused Mr. Scuppers. "There's a string attached to the arrow." Scuppers reported. "H're, see if you can reach it."
The crew member reached between the bars and was just able to grabbed the string. He slowly and carefully pulled it between the bars. "Aye. T'is Capt'n Turnbuckle. Come to break us out, Lads!"
Several of the men started to speak at once, "B'lay that… or you'll bring the guards down on us." Scuppers carefully pulled the string, then the heavier rope. The bag appeared at the window. Scuppers wiggled the bag through the bars. Once safely inside the cell, Scuppers looked over the items in the bag.
He saw the most important prize, the key. "The capt'n sent us a key!" The crew jostled each other anticipating the impending action. "Wait, Lads" Scuppers picked up the parchment and carefully unfolded it, "Tis a map by heavens! It shows the way out!"
Scuppers stepped to the cell door to see where the guard was. They heard the familiar sound of his snoring, sleeping as usual. Mr. Scuppers carefully and quietly inserted the key it in the lock, turned it slowly and the lock snapped open. The crew froze - afraid the noise might have awakened the sleeping guard but the snoring continued. Scuppers slowly swung the door open. He gestured to two of his men to take care of the snoring guard. The two men slowly made their way to the guard who was sleeping sitting in a chair. One man tapped the man on the shoulder and when he opened his sleepy eyes, the other hit him with a belaying pin on the head. The guard slithered out of the chair and came to rest on the wooden floor in a heap. The men grinned.
"Right Lads, out we go - follow me." Scuppers instructed.
They slowly and carefully worked their way down the stairs and through the doors being careful to follow the map. As they went, they encountered a few guards but knocked them into submission just as they had to the first guard. No alarm was raised and within fifteen minutes the crew was free of the prison. Outside the walls they had a brief but happy reunion with their old captain. He explained what was to take place next.
"Me Old Mates, tis good to see yah again!" He clapped a few of them on the shoulder. "Now before it grows too late, let me tell yah what we have planned." He grinned and his crew inched closer to hear what he had to say.
"Methinks you heard about the Crossbone Children."
Mr. Scuppers said quietly, "Aye, Capt'n - t'was two young boys in the cell across the way. John and Jack be their names - they were taken out earlier today."
"Aye and right I knows it too!" Turnbuckle replied. "Them two young squints are what gave us what you would call - a diversion what allowed us to free you from the gallows this night."
Some of the men whispered, "Bless 'em!"
Turnbuckle continued, "Aye, a blessing indeed! What they needs right now is a way to escape from the clutches of Sir Duncan Peck. Him what turned on us and put us in irons, the Black Spot for 'im!"
Several nodded and whispered. "Aye, the Black Spot for 'im!"
"You be remembering all the ships we plundered for Peck? Well, them Crossbone Children defeats two of Sir Duncan's ships, took that plunder from Peck's secret island - more's the pity… ha… ha!" The men joined in the laughter. "Peck be want'n to exchange them two boys for his treasure. But he be gett'n a surprise tonight, that's why we got to hide for a few hours, then we be tak'n back our ship!"
Mr. Scuppers whispered, "Three cheers for the capt'n!"
Holding up his hands he whispered, "Not now gents - too dangerous but I thankee for the sentiment, just the same."
Shortly after nine o'clock that evening - by the light of a half-moon, two small boats shoved off from the beach near Bull Bay and headed out to sea. Two boys manned the oars in each of the boats and in one of the boats four heavy chests rested on the bottom boards. Ethan and the three Seachrist brothers, Cole, Dylan and Brock, rowed the boats slowly out to sea and disappeared into the dark. They would stay out of sight of the land until they saw a lantern on shore signal them to come in. The boys carried a covered lantern onboard but were not to open it until they saw the signal from the beach. Cole would then open the lantern door twice as a recognition signal and then row straight for the beach. Once on the beach, they were to beach the boat with the chests and all four of them were to get in the remaining jolly boat where they were to wait for their old shipmates, John Henry and Buster Jack. If the boys did not come to their boat in one minute from the time they landed on the beach, they were to row out to sea again leaving the boat with the chests behind, and sadly, their two friends. Once out to sea, they were to avoid any ships in the area and row back to the beach from where they shoved off and wait.
The sea was relatively calm, but the noise of the surf pounding the shore permeated the air. The boys rowed for almost two hours - first in a southerly direction and then to the east - which would position them directly in front of Bull Bay. Cole had been instructed just how much time and in what direction to row the boats so they would be in the correct position.
He finally ordered his brothers and Ethan to ship their oars and wait. Sitting in the dark and being tossed about by
the slow rolling waves made the boys a bit nervous, but while they were on the water, they knew they could not be hurt. They could still drown. They could only whisper as they sat waiting. If they timed it right, they would have nearly an hour to wait.
————
Sir Duncan Peck walked stiffly down the path that led to the beach on Bull Bay. He paused a moment here and there to make sure none of the soldiers could be seen on the beach in the dim light of the moon. A few hours earlier, one hundred English soldiers commanded by Captain Malins, positioned themselves among the rocks, trees and vegetation - awaiting orders to rush out on the beach and seize whoever they were instructed to seize. No one told them who or what they were to seize, so like good disciplined soldiers they waited in silence. The soldiers brought a small field cannon with just the powder charge, no ball. It was to be used as signal.
Behind him, Thaddeus the overseer, pushed and prodded their two captives, John and Jack through the sand to keep up with Sir Duncan. The boys' hands were tied and their mouths gagged.
Peck stopped and opened his watch and held it to catch some of the moon's light. He squinted to see the time… it was nearly midnight, two minutes to go. "Keep moving!" he whispered to Thaddeus and three other men from his plantation.
Once on the narrow white sandy beach, they stopped half-way between the tree line and the water and waited. Peck opened his watch once more catching the moonlight again. He waited until he saw midnight exactly.
He turned to Thaddeus and instructed him to take the shuttered lantern and make the signal…one flash. The light from it spilled across the sand momentarily lighting up everyone's face. When it shut, there was only darkness. They waited.
From out on the ocean they saw a two blinks from a lantern. Peck smiled as he commanded in a loud voice, "Stand ready. When I give the command to charge, you will sweep down the beach and seize the two boats and anyone in them!"
Crossbone Children and the Orphans of Avalon Page 25
