by C. G. Mosley
Andrea and Langley approached as soon as I boarded and they had two very different reactions after I told them what had happened with the governor. Langley was furious and still adamant that we storm the prison and free Gordon before leaving the city. Andrea, to my dismay, seemed almost relieved that the governor refused my pleas. I can only assume that she believed this would force me to give up hope of ever rescuing Gordon. She would soon find that she had a lot to learn about me.
I was about to reveal my plan when I noticed no fewer than twenty African men huddled near the poop deck. I turned to Robert for an explanation.
“They were here when I got back,” he answered defensively.
“Several redcoats brought them aboard about an hour ago,” Andrea explained. “They said the governor sent them to you as compensation.”
“Compensation?” I asked in awe. “For Gordon?”
“That is what I assumed as well,” she replied.
I cursed silently to myself and wished that I had known of the governor’s plan to “compensate” me for the loss of Gordon before I’d visited him. I’d have gladly told him to keep his slaves because they would be of little use to me.
I eyed the poor-spirited men and they stared back at me with confusion. There was a strong urge to send them off the ship and on their merry way. But where would they go? The life that they’d been living couldn’t have been a very pleasant one and it was one they probably didn’t want to return to. A life at sea would probably be far better than the one they were currently living and I had the power to offer them that.
“Is there one among you that speaks English?” I asked hopefully.
Several of them stepped forward.
“Is there one among you that would be allowed to speak for your group alone with me in private quarters?”
One of the slaves stepped forward and pointed to his chest as if to indicate that he was the willing party to speak for the group. I estimated his age to be late thirties. The first thing I noticed about him was his hands. They were quite large and seemed closer to the size of a bear’s paw than a man’s hand. He was a large, tall man, and with the exception of Hale Woodrow, he was easily larger than any other man on my crew. The man’s head was bald and smooth as a baby’s bottom. The lower portion of his face was covered in at least a day’s worth of stubble. He wore a dirty white linen shirt and calico pants. As was with all of his counterparts, there were no shoes on his feet.
I led him into the captain’s cabin and Andrea started to follow us in as well. I leaned over so only she could hear me.
“I’d rather speak with him alone my dear,” I said softly.
She gave me a disappointed look that briefly turned to anger, but finally walked away to help the rest of the crew without another word. I watched her a moment and a bad feeling struck me. I needed her help in finding her father, but I still did not know if I could trust her or not. She seemed cold and uncaring regarding the situation with Gordon and it seemed that the more I got to know her, the more abrasive her personality was becoming. I assumed, and hoped, this was due to the fact that she was Captain Trimble’s own blood. Surely some of his horrible traits passed on to his daughter. However, that in itself was troubling for me as well.
I sat down on one side of the heavy oak table and the slave sat on the other. I reached across the table to shake his hand. The big man took it and his handshake was firm, yet gentle.
“My name is Captain Redd Reeves,” I began. “There is no easy way to say this, so I’ll just come out with it. I’m a known pirate and so are the other members of my crew. The governor sent you and your lot to me in hopes that you would accompany me on a perilous mission. It seems he’s placing you in my custody against your will.”
I paused a moment to see if I noticed any indication that the man was angry or uncomfortable. There was none of that in his eyes. He stared at me with wide-eyed genuine interest of what I had to say.
“However,” I continued. “We are pirates and rogues, and the life we live is far different from the world you’re accustomed to in Port Royal. We do not believe a man can take possession of another man and force him to do his bidding. That would not be an ideal situation for either party. I want men that are willing and able to fight at my side. A pirate’s life is not always an easy one and all men are free to go if they please. The way I see it, the governor placed you in my custody and thus, you all have become pirates. If it pleases you to walk off this ship, you will get no resistance from me and my crew.”
The large man smiled a wide grin filled with the whitest and straightest teeth I’d ever seen. It was still hot in the cabin, and both of us were sweating profusely. I could not be sure, but there appeared to be a tear streaming down the right side of his face.
“That is very good of you Captain,” he said in surprisingly clean English. “I will ask the other men what they think about it.” He paused and adjusted in his chair. “If its okay with you Captain, I would be just fine staying on the ship,” he said meekly.
I leaned back and crossed my arms.
“I haven’t gotten your name yet, sir.”
“Jobah, Captain, my name is Jobah,” he replied. “Most people just call me Joe.”
“Well, what do you want to be called?”
“Joe is just fine with me, sir.”
“Okay, Joe it is then. Joe, do you have any experience at sea?”
Joe lowered his head and closed his eyes as if in thought. “No sir, I remember being on a boat when I was a boy, but that’s about it.”
I cringed when I realized he was referring to his time on a slave boat. It had to be a troubling memory for him as I’d always heard about the harsh conditions slaves were put through on those long voyages from Africa to the new world.
“Joe, as I said in the beginning. This is a perilous mission we are about to embark upon. A pirate’s life is not an easy one and you will have much to learn. I will not lie to you; there is a strong possibility of death almost every day,” I paused a moment to let the weight of the words sink in. “Are you sure this is the life you would choose for yourself?”
Joe sat quietly and thought hard about what I’d said. He finally looked me in the eyes and gave me an answer I’d never forget.
“If the pirate life is a free one, then it is the one for me,” he said.
I grinned and shook his hand again.
“Welcome to the crew, Joe.”
I followed him as he exited the cabin and watched him gather the other slaves to tell them of the opportunity I’d laid before them. After much deliberation, half of the men made their way to the gangplank and returned to the city of Port Royal. The others approached and made their allegiance known to me.
I called upon Robert Lynch to take the remaining nine men below deck and gain each one’s signature upon the Articles for pirate service. Most of the men were unable to write, but with great patience Robert and Joe managed to get each man to scrawl out a single letter or symbol to solidify their allegiance.
While they were below deck, I peered out at the numerous ships in the harbor in search of one in particular.
“The governor said that Gordon would be taken in the morning on a ship called Neptune’s Castle,” I murmured to Langley and Andrea standing nearby.
Andrea’s face lit up and she grabbed my arm.
“I know of that ship!” she said.
Langley and I looked at her inquisitively and awaited an explanation.
“That is the ship that picked me up from the island my father marooned me on,” she explained. “It’s a massive English galleon; it’s truly a beautiful ship.”
“It’s a galleon?” I asked, disheartened by the news.
“Yes, she bear’s no less than 40 guns and a crew of at least 150,” she replied.
“Do you see the ship in this harbor,” I asked, waving an outstretched hand in the direction of the array of various ships that blanketed the calm waters of the day.
She pulled the brim of her
hat down to shield the piercing sunlight from her eyes and squinted as she peered in the direction in which many of the Royal Navy’s ships were anchored.
“Yes, I think that one is it,” she said pointing.
“I need to bring’er near, Langley,” I said, squinting against the glint of the sun sparkled waters.
Langley disappeared a moment and promptly returned with a brass telescope. I took aim for the vessel and looked her over the best I could.
“She is a fine vessel,” I said, tossing the scope back to Langley. “Though I was hoping for a smaller ship indeed.”
Andrea looked at me at first with confusion, but then her expression turned to shock as she realized what I’d been plotting.
“You can’t be serious!” she snapped.
I glanced at her and said nothing.
“Look at the ship you’re standing on, Captain,” she pleaded, her blonde hair blowing wildly in a sudden, misty breeze. “This ship is only a sloop and is incapable of defeating a ship the caliber of Neptune’s Castle. You must rethink this. One man is not worth the countless deaths your crew will suffer!”
I leaned toward the ship’s rail and grabbed it tightly. I looked around and noticed many of the crew watching and listening to our exchange. I grabbed Andrea by the arm, and rather forcefully led her away and into my cabin so we could continue the conversation in private. I shoved her toward a chair and she reluctantly sat down; I could tell she could see the obvious anger in my expression.
“I’m a pirate captain, Andrea—
“And a rather stupid one, it would seem,” she interrupted. “We should keep our current heading of New Providence. Every day you wait, my father will grow more comfortable with the signet ring and his boldness will grow as well. It’s only a matter of time before he will have both the English and Spanish Navies at their knees.”
“I will not let that happen!”
“Then do as I say and forget this folly with Mr. Littleton!”
I felt my face redden with rage and it was fortunate for Andrea that she was a woman, as I would have struck her had she been a man.
“Andrea, you asked me to look at the ship I’m standing on, did you not?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“Then I would ask you to do the same.”
“What is the point of this ridiculous exercise?”
“You said yourself that this ship is incapable of bring down Neptune’s Castle. So I ask you now if you feel that it is capable of bringing down your father’s flagship the Sea Witch.”
“Well of course not,” she replied. “I planned to seek out a proper ship in New Providence.”
“I had the same ideas,” I admitted. “However, I now have a plan that would allow us to kill two birds with one stone.”
She eyed me suspiciously and it was obvious she knew exactly what I was planning.
“Are you saying you plan on rescuing Gordon and taking Neptune’s Castle?”
I nodded.
She seemed to relax in the chair and I could tell her interest had peaked.
“I’m listening,” she said.
I pulled up a chair and sat in it backwards, facing her. I leaned against the back and began to reveal my scheme.
“This ship is obviously a sloop and what are sloops known for?” I asked.
“Speed, of course,” she replied.
“Yes, that’s right,” I agreed. “We will set sail tonight as planned, but instead of heading to New Providence we will set a course for Tortuga.”
“Tortuga?” she asked with disgust in her tone.
“I have a friend in Tortuga that owes me a favor. He has a large enough vessel with enough men and cannons to take Neptune’s Castle. I’ll bet we can make enough speed with this sloop to make it there in under a day’s time. The head start is all we need to put a plan in place and intercept Neptune’s Castle on its way back to England.”
“Wait a minute,” Andrea interrupted. “I thought this plan would involve you taking Neptune’s Castle for your own. She won’t be of any use to you if you blow holes in her hull.”
“Of course she wouldn’t,” I agreed. “The main goal is to get Gordon back. If I have to blow the ship apart to get him, then I will.” As her face began to turn red, it was quite obvious that those were not the words she wanted to hear. “However,” I continued. “It’s in our best interest to try and get Gordon back without damaging the ship. Ricardo is an intelligent man and is notorious for using trickery to overtake another ship. I’m sure between the two of us we’ll be able to come up with a good plan.”
“I assume that Ricardo is the friend you speak of in Tortuga,” she replied.
“Aye, he’s been an ally of mine for a long time. Our crews have raided at least a dozen treasure galleons across the Caribbean side by side. Five days ago, when the Royal Navy captured me and my men, Ricardo and his crew were briefly in the fight but managed to escape. It seems that the Royal Navy wasn’t nearly as interested in capturing Ricardo as they were me. While the redcoats were busy slaughtering my crew, Ricardo slipped away.”
“So this is where the favor you speak of comes into the picture,” Andrea said. “How do you even know he is in Tortuga?”
“That was our last heading before the battle with the Royal Navy,” I explained. “There is a woman in Tortuga that Ricardo has grown quite fond of and he’s taken up permanent residence there. Last we spoke, he was looking forward to seeing her again and once he arrives there he’s not going to set sail again right way. Not after seeing me captured, anyway. He’ll hide out for at least a week, maybe two.”
Andrea pursed her lips and glanced out to sea as she considered my plan.
“Alright,” she said finally. “Tortuga is only slightly off course from New Providence. Are you sure we can trust this man?”
“Ricardo?” I asked, trying to sound offended that she’d even question me. “He is the epitome of a cutthroat and has a far darker side than I.”
“Yes, that’s exactly why I’d like to know if we can trust him,” she quipped.
“I think so,” I answered. “But, he did slip away while my crew was being slaughtered by the red coats.”
She crossed her arms and cocked her head sideways, smiling.
“Exactly!” she said. “You can’t trust him.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Okay, I admit that it’s a tiny gamble.”
“Tiny?” she squealed in an exaggerated tone of disbelief.
“Well, it’s a more thought out plan than anything you’ve offered up so far,” I countered.
She remained still, arms crossed. She didn’t bother arguing my point, most likely because she knew my mind was already made up. An hour later, we were sailing on a north-easterly course for Tortuga.
Chapter 7 :
The voyage to Tortuga was swift and uneventful. Henrietta glided into the island’s port shortly after noon with a very drunk Oliver Langley at the helm. As soon as we’d lost sight of Jamaica, I made the announcement of Robert’s promotion as boatswain. As expected, the crew was supportive of my choice but did not shy away from taking a few japes at the well-liked lad as well. They would test him, I knew, but I believed he would rise to be the leader I envisioned him to be.
The next order of business was to fill the men in on the circumstances surrounding their release. This was a topic I knew I’d have to handle delicately, and although I’d have been fine with just avoiding it altogether, I owed them and promised them an explanation. I cut to the chase and quickly disclosed the deal I’d made with the governor. The men’s expressions turned from eager anticipation to shock and dread as soon as the part about pursuing Captain Trimble was revealed.
Once again, I decided to keep the details regarding King Solomon’s signet ring to myself just as I had done with Langley and Gordon. Again, I felt guilt, but I did my best to squash those feelings by telling myself there was no need to get the men any more horrified that they already were. Trimble was fright
ening enough without a magical ring in the mix. Andrea glared at me suspiciously as she realized that I was keeping the tale of the ring and King Solomon from the crew. For a moment, I feared that she would expose my deception, but fortunately she held her tongue.
Joe and his nine counterparts took to the sea better than I’d anticipated. Only two of the former slaves became ill. I wouldn’t have blamed them for requesting to be released upon our arrival in Tortuga, but neither man did anything of the sort. They both took to their chores as if they felt they had to catch up on what they’d fallen behind on during the voyage due to sickness. The rest of the crew seemed to embrace the former slaves much faster than I would have guessed. Perhaps it was because they knew it was in their best interest to get their new shipmates accustomed to life on a pirate ship as soon as possible. The men seemed to catch onto the fundamentals of sailing relatively quick. My crew was a rough looking lot of scoundrels, but I would never question their intelligence.
Once we dropped anchor, Langley immediately stumbled below deck and collapsed onto the first hammock in his path. Andrea eyed the somewhat comical spectacle with fascination.
“I’ve been around men who drank worse than the largest fish in the sea,” she said. “But I’ve never seen a man drink as much as Langley in such a short period of time and live to tell the tale.”
“If that impresses you, wait and see how quickly he sleeps it off,” I replied. “He’ll be sober as a baby in a few hours' time.”
She shook her head.
“I’ll have to see that one for myself before I believe it, Captain.”
Andrea then gave a quick glance both directions and drew near to me.
“I couldn’t help but notice you left out a few details regarding my father and a certain piece of jewelry he possesses,” she whispered.
I let out a sigh that could’ve been taken as an expression of shame.