Chapter 9: Bad For Business
Jeff awoke at dawn and joined the other crewmen as they piled out onto the deck. The Captain was back at the helm and it was just getting light. On the horizon, Jeff could see two other ships that he assumed must be the ones they were meeting. He went below to the galley and Robinson was busy serving up food and grog to a line of crewmen. She gave him a slight wink as she handed him his meal and a coconut in place of the usual mug of grog. He quickly sliced off the top of the coconut and took a seat at the dining table with several other members of the crew who were all too busy gulping down breakfast to engage in anything but the most cursory of communication.
Upon finishing his food and taking the last swig of coconut water, he made his way back on deck. By now, the sun was well up and the other ships were much more visible in the distance. He still could not see land, but reasoned that it could not be too far away if the ships were going to commence with a raid that same day. The rest of the crew was taking their various posts and preparing to rendezvous with the Brethren ships. Jeff looked up at the Captain who seemed to be intent on steering the ship and decided it would be best if he simply stood someplace out of the way.
Less than half an hour later, the Captain sailed alongside the other ships and gave the order to furl the sails and drop anchor. At their angle of approach, Jeff could only see the name painted across the stern of one of the ships, The Crow. Jeff could see men piling into longboats at each of the other two ships and soon they were making their way toward the Wandering Wench. When the first of the longboats came alongside, the men quickly climbed aboard and were greeted warmly by Captain Coxen. “Captain Jamison, welcome! You look well, other than your face, of course!”
“And you, Captain Coxen. Looking as fat as ever!” The two men laughed as they embraced before Coxen yelled out for Robinson to bring up rum and grog for Jamison and his men.
As Jenny delivered the refreshments, the longboat from the other ship arrived. As the men climbed aboard, Coxen and Jamison welcomed Captain Craig. To Jeff, Craig was the first really pirate-looking pirate he had come across. While the others certainly didn’t look out of place as 17th century sailors, Craig was full-on storybook pirate with his thick black beard, tri-cornered hat, and a patch over his left eye. After the initial greetings, the three Captains retreated to Coxen’s cabin while the crewmen from all three ships drank and became better acquainted.
Jeff watched from a distance as the crews interacted. Most of them obviously knew each other, although Jamison’s crew was much friendlier with the crew of the Wench than was Craig’s crew. Eventually, Crabtree noticed Jeff standing off to the side and called him over to make introductions. “Mr. Greene be the newest member of our crew an’ he be takin’ over from Graves as our ship’s surgeon. If not for he and Robinson, we might ha’ been taken by the Spaniards. Mr. Greene, tell our visitors how ye made fools o’ those Spanish dogs!”
The men gathered around Jeff as he told how he and Robinson had sabotaged the Spanish ships. Most of the visitors seemed impressed by Jeff’s ingenuity and bravery, but a couple of Craig’s men were not convinced. “Sounds like a fairy story to me,” one of them grumbled.
“Aye!” another growled, “No one swims in the ocean and comes back to tell o’ it.”
Crabtree stepped in before Jeff could say anything. “I seen it with me own eyes, and it all be true.” Not wanting to start a fight with Crabtree, the naysayers quickly quieted down. The men resumed drinking and catching up on the latest news for much of the day before the three Captains emerged together from Coxen’s cabin and called the men to attention.
Coxen took the lead in announcing the plans for the raid. “Men, we shall sail just after sunset for Cabra Cachonda. We should reach our anchorage within a few hours and from there each ship will send a raiding party in the longboats. Drink up the last of your rum and grog now and prepare for the raid. The men gulped down whatever was left in their mugs and the crews separated as Jamison and Craig and their men returned to their ships. Coxen gathered the crew and announced the members of the raiding party. As he already knew, Jeff was to stay aboard the ship along with Robinson and a handful of other crewmen to guard the ship and to assist with loading cargo when the raiding party returned.
A short time later, the sun sank below the horizon and the Captain gave the order to haul anchor and set sail. Jeff watched with curiosity as the Captain repeatedly consulted his simple navigational instruments. It was amazing that the Captains could even get close to their intended destination sailing in the dark. After some time under sail, Jeff spotted what appeared to be firelight in the distance. Shortly thereafter, the Captain had Crabtree signal the other ships with a small lantern and then quietly relay the order to furl the sails and drop anchor.
The men assigned to the raiding party lined up at the rail and quickly boarded the longboats. In the moonlight, Jeff could see the same activity occurring on the nearby ships and the longboats quickly joined up and headed toward the firelights on shore. As they had been instructed, Jeff, Robinson, and the others took positions on the rails to keep watch. Jeff was glad to be positioned so that he could keep an eye out toward shore as well. He watched the longboats disappear in the darkness and a short time later heard faint sounds of commotion coming from shore. The raid was on! While he had mixed feelings about being involved with what was essentially armed robbery and perhaps even killing, it was undeniably exciting and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he imagined what was happening ashore.
Suddenly, there were flashes of light followed shortly after with the sounds of gunfire. From the appearance and sound of things, there was quite a fierce battle taking place. The gunfire continued off and on for several minutes. The small points of firelight soon erupted into large blazes that lit the night sky. The remainder of the crew on the Wandering Wench now joined Jeff at the rail and watched in silence as the fires grew and distant screams carried across the water. Robinson was the first to speak. “Prepare the rifles and take positions on the rail!” Jeff lingered for a moment at the rail watching the shore in disbelief before following the others down to the cargo hold. He grabbed a rifle and a pouch of powder and ammunition and ran back on deck. In the distance, he could see the shadows of approaching longboats silhouetted against the fires still blazing on shore. Jeff prepared the flint on his rifle and crouched down at the rail. It seemed like hours as he watched the longboats approach, not knowing who they carried. To his relief, he finally heard Captain Coxen’s voice yelling angrily as other voices yelled back in the darkness. While things had obviously gone horribly wrong, Coxen at least was apparently alive and well.
As the longboats neared the ship, Jeff could make out what was being said between Captain Coxen and the other voices. “You and your men are idiots, Craig!”
“Fuck ye, Coxen. I had heard rumors ye had gone soft, but I did not believe it. Now I have seen it with me own eyes!”
“Soft?!” Coxen yelled. Perhaps you should repeat that within reach of my arms and we’ll see who is soft! Being intelligent is not being soft! Your stupidity has cost us severely on this night and will cost us more in time to come.”
“We be PIRATES Coxen, or have ye forgotten?”
“Being pirates does not make us bloodthirsty barbarians! Have you forgotten that we are here to make a profit? Killing and raping innocents and burning the town does not bring profit. It only buys us trouble for future raids.”
“Oh, I didn’t know we be respectable merchants, now! How silly o’ me!”
“GENTLEMEN!” Captain Jamison’s voice boomed out. “Whilst you do not see eye to eye…”
“Fuck ye, Jamison, it’s yer fault I be lacking me eye!” Craig retorted.
“My apologies, Captain Craig, I did not mean to offend and as always, I do regret the Panama incident. I simply meant although there is disagreement, the raid was still su
ccessful. John, we did bring back a good profit despite the fact that the methods were distasteful.”
“Aye,” Coxen agreed, somewhat calmer.
“And James, you and your men are all returning able-bodied, thanks in no small part to John and the fighting abilities of his men.”
“Aye,” Captain Craig acknowledged.
“So, will you two call a truce and agree to continue with this partnership?” Jamison asked.
“Aye,” the warring Captains replied reluctantly.
“Good, then shall we all return to our ships and prepare to sail for Diente Malo?”
“Aye,” the other two Captains agreed.
Jeff and the others on the ship relaxed and returned their long guns to the storage locker. Shortly thereafter they greeted Captain Coxen and the other members of the raiding party from the Wandering Wench. Coxen was still muttering under his breath as he brushed past the crew and headed to his cabin. The men set to work unloading the spoils of the raid from the longboats. As Jamison had said, it looked to be a pretty good haul to Jeff. Along with casks of rum, there were boxes and sacks of jewelry, fine silver, some gold coins and even a few bars of silver and gold. If the other two crews were unloading similar items to their respective ships, the raid had apparently been pretty successful.
Even so, the Captain had seemed quite upset and Jeff was curious to know what had transpired. So, after the cargo was stored, he made his way to the Captain’s cabin and knocked lightly on the door. “Enter, Mr. Greene!”
Jeff opened the door and stepped in, “How did you know it was me?”
“None of the others would be so bold as to bother me when I am in such a mood.”
“I’m sorry, Captain. I’ll leave.”
“Don’t be silly, Mr. Greene. Do come in. Would you care for some rum?”
“No thank you, Captain, I just came to find out what happened on the raid.”
“What happened is that Craig and his crew have not a sensible mind between them. After we overcame the sentries, they ran amok on the settlers. While our crew and Jamison’s were raiding the treasury and the Governor’s residence, they set about pillaging the settler’s homes, raping the women, killing the men and setting everything afire. This is exactly the mindless barbarism we spoke of that drives the settlers to join in the fight against us rather than simply locking themselves in their homes and waiting for us to take what we want and leave. While Jamison is right that we did have a successful raid this time, I fear that our work may be cut out for us in the future. Craig is young and foolish and he is going to cost us men and profits. He is simply bad for business and after Diente Malo, I think it will be time to take our leave of the Grand Booty and her crew.”
“I’m sorry, did you say Grand Booty?” Jeff asked, snickering.
“Aye, Craig’s ship. Why is that amusing to you, Mr. Greene?”
“Well, in my time, ‘booty’ is a term used to refer to the butt, or… arse, I guess as you would say.”
The Captain’s mood suddenly shifted and he let out a hearty laugh. “So, what you are saying is that in your time, the name of Craig’s ship would translate roughly to ‘Large Arse’?”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Jeff said breaking into a full laugh himself.
“A fitting name for Captain Craig’s command!” Coxen blurted out through bursts of laughter. The two laughed together for a few moments before regaining their composure. “Thank you, Mr. Greene for lightening my mood. But now I must ask you to take your leave so we may both get some sleep. We sail at dawn for Diente Malo and with any luck we’ll be able to reach the settlement within two days and conclude our business with Captain Craig very soon.”
“Good night, Captain,” Jeff said as he stood up and walked to the door.
“Oh, and Mr. Greene, do practice your sword play as much as possible before we reach Diente Malo.”
“Expecting trouble, Captain?”
“No, not really. I was just thinking that there would not be much else requiring your attention and you can’t be too well-prepared.”
“Of course,” Jeff nodded. “Sleep well, Captain.”
“And you, Mr. Greene.”
Jeff made his way to the crew quarters. Most of the crew there, including Robinson, were already asleep in their bunks and Jeff slipped into his as quietly as possible. Although Coxen had tried to dismiss it as nothing more than being prepared, Jeff could not help but be concerned with the Captain’s advice to practice his swordsmanship. He couldn’t help but feel that the Captain was expecting trouble and that he might be called upon to use his sword in a kill or be killed situation. While he had realized the risks to himself when he chose to join Coxen’s crew, the reality was only now hitting him that he might have to kill someone, and possibly several someones in the very near future. Though he was bone tired, this thought kept him awake for some time before he finally drifted off into a fitful sleep.
The next day, Jeff awoke before dawn and made his way to the galley for a quick breakfast to fuel himself for his sword practice. Jenny prepared him a plate of food and, after checking the entry to the galley to make sure she was not seen, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Jeff ate quickly at the galley table as several other members of the crew filed through for breakfast, so there was little time for conversation with Jenny. When he finished his meal, she was still occupied with serving the others, so he simply waved as he departed. As he stepped out on deck, the Captain was just relieving Crabtree at the wheel. The first mate looked exhausted as he trudged past Jeff toward the crew quarters to grab a few hours of sleep. Jeff followed him below deck and retrieved his sword as the big man collapsed into his bunk and started snoring almost immediately.
As Jeff headed back out on the deck, Harrison was waiting for him. “The Captain wishes me to continue yer trainin’, Mr. Greene. Are ye ready to proceed?”
“Yes,” Jeff nodded.
“Very good, defend yerself!” Harrison yelled as he drew his sword and charged. Jeff surprised himself at how quickly he drew his own sword and was able to ward off the attack. For several minutes, Jeff was able to hold Harrison at bay. “Hold!” Harrison finally shouted out as he stepped back and lowered his sword. “A fine defense, Mr. Greene! Now we must work on yer offense.” For the next hour, Harrison drilled Jeff on various slicing and thrusting maneuvers before calling a break. “Take a few minutes to capture yer breath, Mr. Greene. Ye have earned it. When ye are rested, ye shall have some sparring matches to apply what ye have learned.” Jeff nodded breathlessly and plopped down on the deck.
Though he was tired, he was pleased with the progress he was making. Harrison disappeared below deck and shortly returned with a couple of thick sticks that were approximately the same length as Jeff’s sword. “The best way to learn be to fight full-out. Ye can’t do that with a blade. So, here be yer sword for the sparring,” Harrison explained holding one of the sticks out. Jeff stood up and took the stick from Harrison. “Now, ye shall be fighting as if this be for yer life. Full swings, full thrusts. I be doin’ the same as will the others ye spar with. Protect yerself at all times and continue the fight until I say ‘hold’. Ready?”
Jeff raised his stick in a defensive posture and nodded. “Ready.”
Jeff’s initial sparring session with Harrison went reasonably well at first, but eventually the experienced swordsman got the better of him and delivered a stinging blow to Jeff’s sword arm. “Ye just lost yer arm, Mr. Greene,” Harrison commented, “Catch your breath and I’ll find ye a new opponent.” A few minutes later, Jeff was engaged in battle with the other Stevens. This match went better for Jeff and he ultimately was victorious when he lunged forward and thrust his stick into the other Stevens’ gut. Harrison nodded his approval and called a break while he selected the next opponent. After a few hours and several opponents, Jeff was bruised all over from strikes and t
hrusts he had absorbed to multiple areas of his body. Overall though, he had fared pretty well for a beginner. He had lost 6 matches, won 8 and had managed a draw in his last match with Pike when both men were so evenly matched that they both were gasping for breath when Harrison finally ended the duel.
Harrison relieved Jeff of his practice sword and congratulated him. “Not bad, Mr. Greene. Get yerself some food and drink and collect yerself. We shall continue after ye have eaten.” Jeff wearily made his way to the galley where Robinson was waiting for him with a plate of food and an already cut-open coconut to drink.
“I hear you have acquitted yourself well, Mr. Greene. Eat well now, for if I know Harrison, the rest of your day will only get harder.” Jeff smiled weakly and took a seat at the table. He was exhausted and sore all over, but the food tasted good and he was just happy to have a rest. Several other members of the crew filed in and out for lunch, some of whom had been Jeff’s sparring opponents. Each man looked at him with respect and some offered words of encouragement, but Jeff was too tired to really respond.
Shortly after Jeff finished eating, Harrison ducked his head into the galley. “Ready to resume yer practice?” he asked.
“Sure, why not?” Jeff replied as he dragged himself to his feet. He looked over at Jenny and she winked at him as he trudged out.
Out on deck, Harrison handed Jeff his practice sword. “Ye look tired, Mr. Greene. Be ye able to continue?”
“I’m not sure…”
“Wait here, I have something that will help,” Harrison said as he turned and headed below deck. A moment later, he returned with a handful of leaves. “Chew these thoroughly but do not swallow them.” Jeff took the leaves and stuck them in his mouth. The flavor was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, but after a minute or so his mouth started to feel slightly numb. After a few minutes he felt somewhat more energetic. Harrison could see the effects on Jeff’s face. “That be better?” he asked.
“Yes. Is this coca?” Jeff asked, basing his question on his knowledge of herbal medicines.
“Aye, that’s what they called it in Panama. Now, spit out the leaves and prepare to defend yerself.”
Jeff walked to the rail and spit the leaves out over the side. As he turned around, Harrison was already attacking and he thrust his stick into Jeff’s midsection. “Ooof!” was all that Jeff could say as he doubled over in pain. “Remember, Mr. Greene, defend yerself at all times. When ye be ready, raise yer sword and we begin again.” A minute or so later, Jeff felt like he could breathe again and he raised his sword. This time, he was ready for Harrison’s attack and he was able to hold off the master swordsman for well over a minute before Harrison called a halt. “Excellent work, Mr. Greene. Ye now are as good as any man on this crew in a fair fight. Now, collect your breath and wits. It be time fer an unfair fight!”
Harrison turned and went below deck, returning momentarily with two more sticks. “Mr. Graves! Mr. Pike! Would ye do the honors of introducing Mr. Greene to an unfair fight?” The two men approached and each took a practice sword.
“Two against one?” Jeff asked tiredly.
“Aye. Raise yer sword when ye be ready,” Harrison nodded. Jeff took a deep breath and raised his practice sword. Graves and Pike raised their swords and began to circle him. The two men suddenly converged on him and although Jeff successfully blocked Graves’ attack, Pike’s wooden sword landed a painful blow on his lower back. “Hold!” Harrison yelled. Jeff winced with pain as he rubbed his back.
“Mr. Greene, when ye have more than one opponent, ye cannot wait fer them to advance on ye. Ye must advance on them! Observe…” Harrison gestured for Jeff to step aside as he stepped between Graves and Pike. “Gentlemen, attack at will.” The two men raised their practice swords, but before either one could attack, Harrison moved quickly at Graves, knocking his practice sword from his hands and then spinning to intercept Pike’s attack. Graves scrambled to collect his sword as Harrison parried a slice from Pike and then kicked his legs from under him. As Pike landed flat on his back on the deck, Harrison once again turned towards Graves who had just picked up his practice sword. Before Graves could move to block it, Harrison landed a thrust with the end of his stick hitting Graves in the gut. As Graves doubled over and crumpled to the deck. Harrison charged at Pike who had just regained his feet. Before Pike could raise his weapon, Harrison smacked him in the side of his sword arm. “As ye can see, Mr. Greene, ye can fight two, but ye must take the fight to them. If ye give them the opportunity to time the attack, they shall quickly defeat ye.” Jeff nodded in understanding.
Harrison turned his attention to Graves and Pike, “Gentlemen, can ye continue?” “Aye,” Both men muttered, still stinging from their wounds. “Good. And ye, Mr. Greene?”
“I’m ready.”
“Fight!” Jeff raised his practice sword and quickly advanced on Pike who was the closest to him. As he and Pike’s sticks collided in front of them, Jeff could hear Graves’ footsteps fast approaching him from behind. Jeff shoved Pike backwards as he spun around to meet Graves’ attack. Graves had his sword overhead for a downward slice, but Jeff simply side-stepped as he struck his practice sword across Graves’ abdomen. Graves’ momentum carried him forward and he collided with Pike. Before the two men could untangle themselves, Jeff moved forward and knocked Pike’s stick from his hand and held the end of his own to Pike’s throat. Just then, a firm blow from Harrison’s stick slapped against Jeff’s buttocks.
“Hold!” Harrison yelled out, standing behind Jeff. Jeff rubbed his stinging buttocks as he glared at Harrison.
“What the hell was that?”
“I told ye, Mr. Greene, this be an unfair fight! I also told ye not to let yer guard down until I called the contest over. Always stay sharp to what be happenin’ around ye.” Jeff was still angry, but he realized that Harrison had just taught him a very valuable lesson. “Ye should be proud, Mr. Greene. Ye have done well. I fer one be proud to fight at yer side!”
“Aye,” Graves nodded in agreement.
“As be I,” Pike acknowledged.
Jeff’s training continued for the next few hours with various other crewmen and in various scenarios. By the time the sun was beginning to set, he was thoroughly exhausted and was bruised, and sore to the point he could barely move. “Ye have learned well, Mr. Greene!” Harrison said, “Would ye like some more o’ me salve to soothe yer pains?”
Jeff thought about it for a moment, weighing the smell to pain relief ratio the salve presented. But he realized that if he was to be able to even move, let alone fight if need be anytime in the next week, he’d better take every advantage available. “Yes, Mr. Harrison, I would appreciate your salve.”
Harrison had anticipated this response and handed Jeff the canister. “Use what ye need and return the rest to me on the morrow.”
“Thank you,” Jeff replied, steeling himself for the smell as he pulled off the lid.
“We’ll continue yer practice at dawn,” Harrison said as he turned to depart. The pungent odor of the salve was already making Jeff slightly nauseous, but he dipped his hand in the canister and began smearing it on his bruised and swollen body. Once again, the salve started working its magic and Jeff’s pain started to fade. He closed up the canister and stowed it beneath his bunk before heading to the galley for some food.
“No!” yelled Jenny before he even made it through the galley door. “Be off with you and your foul stench! I shall bring you your dinner out on deck. Or, better yet, I’ll find someone else to bring it to you. Begone!” Jeff could tell she was not joking, so he quickly turned around and headed back out on deck.
A short time later, Harrison delivered a bowl of food and a coconut to Jeff along with a message. “Mr. Robinson wished me to tell ye that ye be not welcome in the galley nor elsewise in his presence whilst wearing me salve.”
“I gu
essed that,” Jeff nodded.
“Eat well, Mr. Greene, ye be needin’ yer strength fer the morrow,” Harrison said as he turned and walked away.
Jeff had not realized how hungry he was until he took the first bite of food. Though the smell of the salve was not exactly beneficial to his appetite, the exertion of the day combined with the tastiness of Jenny’s meal had him gulping down his dinner. By the time he finished eating, the salve had taken full effect and Jeff was amazed by the fact that not only was the pain and soreness mostly gone, but even the bruises and swelling had gone down significantly. If the opportunity presented itself, he would have to find out what the ingredients of the salve were. If he could figure out a way to overcome the odor issue, he realized he could make a fortune on the stuff if he ever made it back home.
Jeff laid back on the deck and looked up at the sky. It was now getting dark and the stars were beginning to come out. The idea of going home was starting to feel like a pipe dream. When he decided to go along with Coxen and his crew, his initial thinking was that he’d have a better chance of finding the right kind of storm to transport him back to his time. But the words of the old men back in Port Royal were starting to sink in. The chances of him ever getting home were slim at best. All he could do is try to make the best life possible here in this time and hope that maybe he’d get lucky someday and find a way…
Splash! His thoughts were rudely interrupted as the salt water hit him full in the face. Jeff sat up, sputtering and wiping the stinging water from his eyes. Splash! He was hit again, as Jenny emptied the second bucket of water on him. “What the hell!” he cried out. Jenny laughed, “Just making you fit for company, Mr. Greene. I had to do something to rid you of that horrid stench!” Jenny took a long deep breath through her nose. “Better, but I think another couple of buckets are in order…” “Wait, don’t bother. I’ve got a better idea,” Jeff said, scrambling to his feet. He walked around the deck with Jenny following him at a distance with some curiosity.
Finally, he found what he was looking for, a coil of rope. He walked over to the rail where the cargo net hung and dropped the end of the rope over the side to get the right length before pulling it back up. He then tied one end of the rope to the rail and tied the other end around his chest. He climbed down the cargo net and eased into the water. The ship was moving at a pretty good speed, and as his body entered the water, he was immediately being dragged alongside. He was careful to keep hold of the rope with one hand so that it did not slide off and he grasped the end of the cargo net with his other hand to keep from getting banged against the hull. Jenny peered over the rail at him and shouted down, “Looks like fun. I shall have to try that sometime!” Jeff opened his mouth to reply, just as the ship broke a wave and he got a big gulp of seawater. He choked as he pulled himself back on the cargo net. He held himself in place at the bottom of the net until the coughing subsided and then climbed back over the rail. Jenny stepped up and took a big sniff of him. “Much better! You have my permission to sleep in your bunk tonight.”
“Thank… you,” Jeff replied, still coughing and gasping slightly.
“But now you are all wet, Mr. Greene. You should change out of those wet clothes. Don’t want to sleep in them or you’ll get the rot.” Jenny said, as she helped Jeff remove the rope from around his chest. “I believe you left the spare clothes you bought in Port Royal down in the cargo hold when we were stocking the ship. I can show you right where they are if you don’t recall,” she said with a wink.
“That would be very helpful. Thank you Mr. Robinson,” Jeff replied just in case any of the other crew members were paying attention, although from the looks of things they were all more interested in drinking their rum or in the games of chance taking place at the far end of the deck.
Jenny led him down to the cargo hold. As they entered, she poked her head back out in the passageway to see if anyone was around. “In the back there, Mr. Greene. Behind those crates.” As it turned out, Jeff had actually left his clothes at the back of the cargo hold, but he knew very well that was not the reason Jenny was directing him there. A few rats squeaked and scuttled away as the pair made their way through the crates and sacks of cargo and supplies to a makeshift bed of empty sacks that Jenny had arranged previously for just such an opportunity.
“Did you do this?” Jeff asked, gesturing at the sacks.
“I thought it might make things more comfortable. Burlap is not silk, but it is better than the hard floor.”
“Good thinking,” Jeff smiled, as he slid off his shirt.
“I thought so,” she replied softly as she untied her rope belt, slid her pants down her legs and stepped out of them.
The two enjoyed each other’s bodies for quite some time before the roughness of the burlap bedding left them somewhere between pleasure and pain. “I can’t do this anymore, my knees are on fire!” Jeff whispered.
“Thank God!” Jenny whispered back, “I think the curve of my arse is getting ground away!”
“Can’t have that. It’s too lovely an arse,” Jeff said as he rolled off of her.
Jenny turned on her side and kissed him. “We should probably get dressed and get to our bunks,” she said with a hint of disappointment, “Perhaps we can do this again after Diento Malo?”
“I would like that very much. But maybe we can figure out something better than burlap to lie on,” Jeff smiled, “It seems that there’s always some pain mixed with the pleasure when I’m with you.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t seem to be putting you off,” she said as she slid on her shirt and adjusted her chest wrap.
“Definitely not,” Jeff agreed, as he located his stack of new clothes and pulled out a pair of pants. “I’m just glad there were no crabs this time!”
The two finished dressing and they made sure Jenny’s disguise was still passable before she slipped out of the cargo hold and made her way to her bunk. Jeff waited a few minutes before departing the hold and then he too slipped into his bunk. Jenny was already sleeping soundly and Jeff laughed to himself, “Just like a man – right after sex, he falls asleep!” Soon, he too was drifting off into a deep sleep.
The next day began pretty much as the day before. Harrison was waiting for Jeff on deck at sunrise and the next few hours were filled with hard training and pain. But the previous day’s lessons had paid off and early in the day Jeff was already besting most of his sparring partners, even when they came in groups of twos and threes. Harrison was quite pleased with his progress and by early afternoon, Jeff was actually as much an instructor for the other men as he was a trainee himself. Captain Coxen too had taken notice of Jeff’s progress and he called Jeff up to the helm to congratulate him. “You have done well, Mr. Greene. Far better in fact than I had hoped.”
“Thank you sir!” Jeff smiled.
The Captain’s expression turned serious, “The question is, do you believe you can take a man’s life if you must?”
Jeff thought for a moment, before nodding solemnly, “Yes, Captain. While it is something I hope to never do, I believe I can if I must.”
“Good,” Coxen replied, “For I fear that the time may be coming soon when you shall have to fight for your life.”
“What do you mean, Captain?” Jeff asked with concern.
“Just a feeling, Mr. Greene. But I have learned to trust my feelings. Be on your guard.”
“I will,” Jeff acknowledged.
“Now, we shall be making anchorage off Diente Malo by sundown and the raid will proceed when darkness will cover our approach. You, Robinson, Harrison, the two Stevens, and Graves shall stand watch on the ship with Mr. Crabtree in command while the rest of the crew accompanies me on the raid. Look alive and be ready for anything.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Now, be off with you. You should get something to eat.”
“Yes, Captain,” Jeff repl
ied as he headed back down to the main deck.
Jeff headed down to the galley. Harrison and several others were crowded around the table and Jenny was busy serving up plates of food. She looked up and gave him a quick smile as she handed him a plate. Harrison spoke up between gulps of food, “Eat quickly, Mr. Greene, there be still much to do before we reach Diente Malo.” Jeff didn’t really need to be prodded. The intense exercise had left him very hungry and as usual, Jenny’s food was quite tasty. Harrison finished his meal and announced to no one in particular, “I’ll await ye on deck.” Several other men finished up at the table just ahead of Jeff and they filed out of the galley. Jeff swallowed his last bite, winked at Jenny and made his way back out on deck.
As he had promised, Harrison was there waiting for him, and he tossed Jeff his practice sword. For the next few hours, Harrison ran Jeff and several other crew members through sword fighting drills. Jeff was getting tired, but he wasn’t nearly as battered by the day’s practice as he was the day before. He was now skilled enough that he rarely took a strike to his body at all, and when he did, it was usually a glancing blow at worst. Harrison finally called an end to the sword drills and switched to shooting practice. Jeff was not nearly as effective with a flintlock as he now was with his sword, but based on the accuracy of most of the men, he realized that the guns of this era were not nearly as reliable as a sword anyway. Although Harrison was a pretty good shot, there were times when even his shots missed their mark by quite a distance. The pistols were actually only good for shots of about 10 to 15 feet at the most. The rifles were better, but even then, Harrison had advised to hold fire until the target was within 50 feet, and the closer the better.
The sun was still relatively high in the sky when Harrison called a halt to training for the day. The men cleaned and prepped the weapons so they would be ready when needed before Harrison advised them, “Get ye some rest, men. Ye shall need it for tonight.” He and Jeff collected the weapons and returned them to their place in the cargo hold. As he closed the weapons armoire, Harrison turned to Jeff, “Mr. Greene, it is not me place to question the Captain, but he told me I be stayin’ on the ship an’ not goin’ on the raid tonight. I ‘ave ne’er not gone on a raid the entire time I be a part o’ this crew. Ye seem to ‘ave the Captain’s confidence. Did he mention to ye why that be?”
“Um, no, he only told me that you’d be part of the watch on the ship tonight. I didn’t know that was unusual. He did tell me to be prepared for anything – I think he’s got a feeling that there’s going to be some kind of trouble,” Jeff replied.
“Aye,” Harrison nodded, “That would explain it. The Captain ‘ave him a sixth sense. That eases me thoughts. I be thinkin’ I had offended the Captain somehow.”
“You’re not worried about what the trouble might be that he’s expecting?” Jeff asked with some concern.
“Trouble I can handle, Mr. Greene. Not bein’ in the Captain’s graces is another matter.”
The two men went their separate ways. Harrison retreated to his bunk for some rest and Jeff headed to the galley for some food and to see his favorite member of the crew. Jenny looked up and smiled as he walked into the galley. She was already in the midst of preparing the evening meal and was busily cutting up vegetables and throwing them into a pot heating on the fire. She stopped what she was doing for a moment and walked over to Jeff. She looked past him to make sure nobody was watching before pulling his head to hers and kissing him. As she broke the kiss, she stepped back and said, “I have to get this done. If you’re hungry, help yourself to whatever you like. There are fruits in the boxes next to the table, hardtack, flatbread and breadnuts on the end of the counter.” Jeff grabbed a banana and some breadnuts and sat down at the table.
“Jen…Um, Mr. Robinson,” Jeff said, as he looked around him to make sure nobody was there, “Has the Captain said anything to you about him expecting trouble on the ship tonight?”
“No, but he probably wouldn’t tell me if he did,” Jenny replied. “Has he said something to you?” “Yes, sort of, and he’s having Harrison stay on the ship rather than going on the raid tonight.”
Jenny looked at him with concern on her face, “That sounds serious. Harrison is our best sword and if the Captain wants him on the ship, he’s definitely expecting trouble. I guess after I finish dinner, I need to make sure my sword is sharp and secure a pistol from the armory.”
“Yeah, definitely need to be prepared,” Jeff nodded.
“Now then, Mr. Greene, you must leave me to my work or there will be no dinner for the crew. If there is to be trouble, we must have our bellies full to be ready to face it.”
“Yes, of course,” Jeff replied as he stood up.
Jenny walked over and kissed him once more. “Don’t worry,” Jenny said with a smile, “I won’t let any harm come to you!”
Jeff smiled back despite his worry, “Thanks, it makes me feel much better to know that you have my back!”
Jeff stepped back out on deck. The sun was just starting to sink towards sunset and the crew was taking their positions to make anchorage off Diente Malo. Crabtree was at the wheel as the Captain stood beside him, peering through his spy glass. Close behind them was The Crow and appropriately enough, the Grand Booty was bringing up the rear. Jeff could see the crews on the other ships taking similar positions as the crew of the Wench and he knew they’d soon be anchoring offshore to wait for the cover of darkness for their final approach to Diente Malo. Jeff was tense with anticipation over the still unknown threat that the Captain was expecting. Whatever it was though, his days of intense training had given him considerable confidence that he could hold his own in a man to man fight with just about anyone. He didn’t want to think about the reality of the bloody violence that he might be about to take part in. He only knew that if it were a choice between killing another and dying himself, or worse yet, Jenny dying, he would not hesitate to kill.
Pirates of the Storm: Stranded In Time Book 1 Page 10
