The Wreck of the Ten Sail

by Steven Becker

  I was unsure of the protocol for this kind of visit, so we drank in silence while I waited for the captain to take the lead.

  He drained his glass in no time and pushed it forward for a refill.

  “Looks like you’ve got yourself a crew,” he finally said.

  While he drank, I told him the story of the slaver.

  After draining his second glass he came to the business at hand. “Well, I’m guessing you’re wondering what this is about. Really a courtesy call is all.”

  I doubted that. I assumed the governor wanted control of his shore batteries back. The captain proved me right.

  “You’ve got the rights to salvage the vessel so long as the Crown gets its cut, but you’ve no rights on shore.”

  I was ready for him. “We can allow an inspector aboard if you stand off,” I said.

  Before he could respond, I heard several splashes and a scrape against the hull from the men adjusting the cable. Hoping to distract the captain, I refilled his glass.

  “Seems reasonable. You’ll also not leave these waters without inspection, nor without the permission of the governor.”

  I had expected these terms and nodded. “And what of the girl?”

  He laughed and drained his glass. “She’s a feisty one, she is. Seems to have taken a liking to the governor.” He winked.

  “Right, then. The girl can make up her own mind, but I’d like to hear it from her mouth directly,” I said, doing my best not to look at Mason. I knew his mind, but I still hoped things were not as they appeared.

  I corked the wine. I was ready for the conversation to end. “If that is all, then,” I said, extending an arm to the port rail. The captain took the cue and I let him go ahead of me. As he passed, I took a chance and looked towards the starboard side to see if the cable was secure. Swift gave me a nod.

  At the port rail, I leaned over to watch the captain’s descent. I was surprised how nimbly he navigated the ladder after the wine. Within minutes, the skiff was on its way back to the schooner.

  With the captain gone, Rhames returned and he and Mason stood at the rail with me, watching the skiff. Suddenly we heard a boom from the battery and we ducked as the water exploded near us. Seconds later, the other gun fired with the same result.

  “Get the men to stations!” I yelled and ran to the starboard side in time to see the schooner pivot on her anchor chain, showing us the guns on her starboard side. While I had been transfixed by Rory and entertaining the captain, the governor had laid a cable and taken the guns on the bluff. Now we were within easy range of both.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  They showed their broadside and fired two shots before I could even give the order for us to adjust our cable and show them our own guns. Fortunately, silence prevailed and I relaxed. It was only a show of strength.

  I gathered the old crew together to admit my mistake in misjudging the governor. They all nodded and accepted our fate. At least I didn’t have a mutiny on my hands. But we had precious little time to make a plan. A dory had already left the governor’s schooner with four men in it. I wondered which of the men would be our guest—and the governor’s spy.

  The two men at oars I ruled out as seamen. The other two were contrasted in just about every way. The smaller man wasn’t much bigger than Blue and had the look of an accountant. He looked seasick even in the light chop. The larger one was bigger than Mason, and looked like a bear, his ungroomed hair reaching down his back. He wore a heavy beard and went shirtless, showing the scars across his barrel chest.

  “I’ve a bad feeling about this,” I said as I continued to watch the boat. “The captain said a man, but it looks like we’ll have two guests.” Phillip took the glass and his whole demeanor changed. This had us worried.

  “Phillip, what is it?”

  He stammered, “Bad men, those two. They’re like glue, each helping the other. The little one is the brains. He knows every secret on this island and beyond. And it’s obvious what the big man does.”

  Without a word, Phillip grabbed Shayla by the arm and the two disappeared below deck.

  Even Rhames looked troubled at what he was seeing. He could size up an opponent with a glance and this was not a good sign.

  “Be hard to hide something with the two of them,” Mason said. “One watching what we’re bringing up and the other looking out for him.”

  “Right, then, I have no intention of hiding anything.” I received queer looks from the three pirates. “Maybe we can use this to our advantage.”

  “How so?” Mason asked.

  “With the governor and his men all on site, who’s looking after our treasure?”

  “Aye. Now you’re thinking,” Rhames said with a smirk. He ordered Red and Swift to help with the arriving guests.

  I was now alone with Mason, Blue, and Lucy.

  “Mason, can you go down and see what Phillip knows about our guests? I have an idea to get him off the ship and go with Blue to Bodden Town.” The governor might suspect, but couldn’t know for sure that Phillip was even aboard. “They won’t be missed here,” I continued. “The old man knows the layout and Blue can lead him and a small group of men to recover the treasure.”

  “What about Shayla?” Mason asked.

  “Have her stay in my cabin and out of sight.” I ignored the looks.

  “And how are we going to get the treasure back?” Rhames asked.

  “I’m going to invite myself to dinner with Rory and the governor. While I’ve got them distracted, put Phillip, Blue, and six men on the beach. They’ll have to make a plan from there.”

  I went to the ladder to wait. Just as the accountant and his giant came on deck, I left them to Mason and climbed down to the dory. The crewmen looked at me strangely as I took a seat and cast off the line, but soon they were rowing back to the schooner as if it had been the plan all along.

  That evening might be the last time I had any leverage with Bodden. With myself the only diver and the treasure still underwater, I had no doubt he would treat me well. I just hoped the governor and his captain would be distracted enough to allow Mason to put a crew ashore.

  My confidence waned as we neared the schooner. The plan was foolhardy at best and I almost asked to turn back. My hands trembled as I climbed the ladder to the deck, but the captain bore a friendly face as he stood at the break in the rail, ready to help me aboard.

  “Well, Master Nick,” the captain said, his demeanor toward me obviously affected by the wine.

  “I was hoping to have a word with the governor before we started the dive tomorrow. I have concerns for the girl,” I said, playing the only card I had. The look in his eyes changed, but just for a second, and I wondered what he knew that I didn’t.

  “Wait here and I’ll check if he’ll see you,” he said and walked away.

  They kept me waiting, but I knew it was a ploy. It worked, though, and the wait was long enough for my confidence to vanish completely. I was scared. Not of what the governor would do—he was clearly a greedy man aiming only to enrich himself.

  No, it was Rory. I tried to twist her actions any way they would bend to hide the obvious truth—she had betrayed me. On top of that, I felt guilty for sleeping with Shayla, and feared Rory would see it in my face. Countless scenarios played out in my mind, and none were good. Finally, the captain came back and escorted me below.

  The governor’s cabin was large and richly decorated. A table was set for four, and he and Rory were already seated. The captain moved to the seat facing the door, leaving me next to Rory. I took a chance and glanced at her, but she was laughing at a joke the governor told, oblivious to my presence. Whether it was purposeful or not, I didn’t know, but it felt like a dagger through my heart.

  “Good of you to join us, Nick,” the governor said. “I might have extended the invitation myself, but as you are here, please enjoy.” He toasted me with his glass before taking a drink.

  I sat and fumbled with what I meant to say, but the rehearsed wo
rds wouldn’t find their way to my lips. So I drank. The wine was sweet and potent, not at all like the liquor I was used to. I drank again, put down the glass, and cleared my throat.

  “We had a deal,” I started. “Now you have me penned in here, with spies aboard my ship.”

  “And what of it?” he said. “I’m just protecting my interests.”

  I knew that already, but I needed to find out for sure if Rory was one of those interests. “I understand, but I don’t want our operation impeded by your men.”

  Bodden chuckled to himself as he refilled his glass. “That’s not the reason you’re here, Nick.” He had a twinkle in his eye as he took a drink.

  He had seen through me. I had to humor him without giving away too much. “I’m concerned for the well-being of the lady,” I said.

  Rory turned to me, her face bright red. “The lady is right here and can speak for herself—or is there another lady?”

  How could she know? Oddly, her look of reproach made me hopeful that she did care after all. “Are you all right, then? I mean, well treated?”

  Her anger seemed to suddenly vanish and she returned to the icy behavior she had shown at breakfast the last time I had faced her. “Yes. Thank you. William has taken proper care of me. In fact, he has promised to take me to England with him when he retires there next year.”

  I searched her face, wondering if this was just another act, but when I looked at Bodden, he raised his glass and smiled again before taking Rory’s hand. She did not resist and now acted as if I was no longer in the room.

  There it was. She had chosen her path. The only interest she had in me now was as a means to enrich herself further. Dinner from then on was a miserable drawn-out affair. I suffered through, doing my best to make small talk and answer questions about the coming dive. After what seemed like an eternity, the captain finally rose and escorted me back to the dory. The governor didn’t bother to rise and Rory turned her head the other way as I left.

  As the men rowed me back, I thought about what I had expected from the encounter. Until then I had believed Rory was being held against her will. I’d half-expected her to make a furtive plea for me to save her or slip me a note with a secret plan of escape. But that was not the case. Instead it was clear she had formed an alliance with the governor. How far that extended I tried to put out of my mind.

  I climbed aboard and looked for Mason. I found him at the helm.

  “The men are ashore,” he said. “We disguised Phillip and told our watchers we were sending a hunting party to check some traps we’d left for the boar in the interior of the island.”

  “How many?” I asked.

  He lowered his voice. “Six was all we could manage: Phillip, Blue, and four handpicked men from the slaves. They’re well armed. Phillip says it’s a day’s march to Bodden Town and they expect to be there by morning. They’ll find the treasure and be back tomorrow night. We just need to keep the governor occupied until then.”

  I looked over at the two men standing by the rail. “And they suspected nothing?”

  “Not a thing. Neither’s a hunter, I’m guessing, because when Rhames said we needed to check the traps at night, they didn’t call us on it.” He smiled. “And besides, Rhames’ll be watching them. He wants a piece of the big one. He’s been sizing him up for a fight all night.”

  I said goodnight to Mason and went below, wondering if I should talk to Rhames. I decided against it. He would do no harm to the man until he had reason. There was too much treasure at stake. I entered my cabin and saw the candle burned almost to its base and, in the dim light, the curves of the girl in my bunk. Part of me wanted to leave her there, but when she rolled over, and the cover slipped from her body, it revealed more than I could ignore.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The next morning, under the watchful eyes of Bodden’s spy, his henchman, and I assumed the governor himself, we moved off our mooring and left the sound. Half an hour later we anchored the Panther above the wreck site. We were out of range of the shore battery now, but the frigate had moved closer.

  The dive equipment was loaded aboard the skiff and I was ready to board, but Mason stopped me.

  “Best wait an hour or so until the sun is higher in the sky. You’ll be able to see better,” he said.

  “I think you’re just killing time,” the small man said, poking his head around the helm.

  I would have to be careful what I said while he was still aboard. I looked behind him at the dull eyes of the larger man and knew I couldn’t ignore him—not yet. “Do you have a name?” I asked, frustrated I had to deal with him at all.

  “Pott. James Pott. My friend here”—he twisted his mouth in an ugly sneer, revealing a row of black teeth—“is Gruber. And you’ve yet to answer my question.”

  “Well, Mr. Pott, as you were listening, you might have heard that Mason thinks it will be easier to see when the sun is higher.”

  “I heard him, but I have orders to see that this business gets finished quickly,” he said. “No delays.”

  “Right, then. If you would like to put on the headgear and go have a look to see if there is enough light, we will assist you. If you’d rather I did it, then we’ll wait an hour.” I walked away.

  I moved to the bow and watched the clouds forming over the land mass of the low island. It was going to rain later. That would be good for our fresh water supply, but it would hinder Phillip and Blue. I heard the unmistakable sound of an anchor being hauled in and looked seaward to where the schooner was preparing to depart.

  Shayla joined me at the rail, carrying two cups of tea. We stood together in silence for a long minute. I couldn’t help but notice the comfort I felt standing next to her, so different from Rory, who was always at odds with everything. I had reconciled myself with her actions the night before and held no animosity or hard feelings for her. I only felt confusion and hoped the path she had chosen was what she truly wanted, although I suspected she wanted less for me.

  The schooner had her sails up and was through the cut. As we watched her turn south and disappear around the east end of the island, I hoped Phillip and Blue had accomplished their task and were on the way back.

  “I’ve got to get ready,” I said and handed the empty mug to her.

  “Good luck, then,” she said and squeezed me playfully. “Don’t waste all your energy in the water.”

  I laughed to hide my concern. There was no need to tell her the schooner might make Bodden Town before her father could complete his mission. There was nothing I could do about that now, anyway.

  I climbed down the ladder and waited for Mason to board the skiff. Looking up, I could see Pott standing by the rail watching me, and Gruber a few feet away from him. We had taken care to place the anchor right over the wreck, and the two crewmen pulled us to the anchor chain where it had been fastened. I stared down into the dark water.

  The men helped me suit up and Mason explained that the two had experience in the water and would take turns free-diving to help me if I needed it. The communication tube could only be used for succinct commands, so he felt having a pair of eyes on me would help. I would be glad of the company.

  The headgear was set in place, and Mason called to the men on the deck above to start pumping. I gave the thumbs-up signal when I felt the stream of air, and slid over the side. We had agreed to increase the weight tied to my waist, hoping it would make it easier to work on the deck down below. In addition to the weight, I had a long iron bar to use on the deck boards and as a weapon if need be.

  The increased weight caused me to descend too fast and I could feel the pressure in my ears. I fought to clear them, swallowing hard every few seconds, but I was unable to bear it. I grabbed the weighted line and pulled myself back to the surface. With one hand clutching the gunwale, I removed the extra weight and shook my head back and forth. Mason understood and took the lead from me.

  After a break on the surface to allow my heart to slow and my head to clear, I nodded t
hat I was ready to descend again. Mason ordered the men to start the pump and fed the tether into the water behind me. This time I coasted to the bottom without incident.

  Just as I hit the deck, I saw something shoot down from the surface. At first I thought it might be a shark and held the iron bar at the ready, but the shape turned out to be a man. It was one of the free-divers, and he was being pulled to the bottom by one of the extra weights. He reached me, handed over the lead, and kicked back to the surface.

  My legs were heavy now with the extra weight, but I felt securely anchored to the deck, and I walked slowly toward the forward section of the hold. With the iron bar I started to pry the deck apart and watched as the boards floated loose, carrying with them a cloud of brown dust.

  I waited for the water to clear up, jumping back and dropping the bar when a long silver fish with two huge fangs for teeth shot towards me from the gap. Its eyes met mine for an instant before it turned away and disappeared. I waited a minute to see if there were any other predators hidden in the hold, but none followed. I retrieved the bar, pried another few boards loose, and stood back just in case another fish lurked below. A half dozen boards later, I was able to kneel down and look into the hold.

  There was little light, and I knew I would have to remove more boards, but I could see the ballast piled in the bilge not ten feet below me. Whether or not it was the silver ballast of legend I didn’t know, but being only feet above it made my heart race. The rest of the deck boards came off easily and soon the entire bilge was open.

  The two crewmen had been taking turns checking on me, using the weighted line to descend in order to save energy, but I needed the line now. With the extra weight I wore, I wouldn’t have a way to escape from the hold without it. I signaled the man over, and we looked each other in the eye, a very strange feeling underwater. I pointed to the line and then to the hold, and he seemed to understand. He held up a single finger, indicating to me that he would send the other man to do the work.