"And who said that, Father Knows Best?"
"My aunt. Let's go eat."
Lindsay sat down with a plate of food across from Sarah and Nate. The galley was not as big as she had supposed for the number of crew the barge held. She wondered if the designers meant for the sailors to eat in shifts. The tables were plain metal with matching hard metal chairs. Nothing fancy on a barge. John sat down next to her. It would have been a good night to go out to eat on the mainland. The barge bobbed up and down and Lindsay felt a little queasy.
"We don't have an alibi, neither of us," Sarah said.
"Join the club," Lindsay replied, opening a carton of milk. "No one does. You expect everyone to be in bed at night."
"But what surprises me," Nate said, "is that everyone appeared to be sleeping alone. What does that say about us?"
Lindsay laughed at him. "Look, I'm sorry about this." She looked down at her plate. Macaroni and cheese, green beans, and applesauce. She felt as though she were back in junior high. But then again, macaroni and cheese was always soothing to her when her stomach was unsettled.
"It sticks to your ribs," said Nate, as if reading her mind.
"How's your arm?" Lindsay asked.
"Fine. You did a good job, Doc." Nate took a drink of milk out of the carton.
"What happened to your hands?" asked Lindsay.
Nate looked at the rash and his Calamine lotion-covered hands. "I think it's poison ivy, but I'll be damned if I know how I got it out here on the water. But it's just on my hands, thank heavens. I was in misery with it every summer as a kid. All I had to do to get infected was walk past the stuff."
Lindsay couldn't help but think about the other evening and the person fleeing into the woods. Had Mike Altman not confessed, she would have suspected Nate.
"Tell me anything you know about Denton or Teal," Lindsay said.
"Didn't know Denton," Nate replied, "except from the correspondence Trey let me read. He was raising all kinds of ruckus over John here winning the contract. We're all lucky the university didn't go with the low bid. We'd all be drowned rats by now."
"I didn't know him, either," Sarah said. "I'm glad I didn't. He seemed thoroughly disagreeable, from what I've heard."
"How about Keith Teal?" Lindsay asked.
"Yes, we both knew him. Trey had us trying to socialize him in the ways of archaeologists. I'm afraid we failed."
"When was the last time you saw him?" Lindsay asked.
Nate looked at Sarah. "I don't know. Sometime after the big storm a few months ago-sometime in May. I guess that'd be about two months. He helped us with some boat repairs."
"Did you ever hear from the Coast Guard about who attacked you?"
Nate shook his head. "I haven't. I think they told Trey that the Jones woman denied any connection. But we know that. I suppose without more to go on there's nothing they can do. If the biology people scuba dived, I'd think it was them. I heard that the FBI's talking to Mike about stealing diary pages."
"Who told you?"
"Trey, just a while ago. I tell you, if I run into Mike-"
"You'll let the FBI handle it," Sarah interrupted. "I don't suppose we can talk about something more pleasant?"
"Do either of you fish?" Lindsay asked. Neither Sara nor Nate did. Lindsay looked at John. He didn't either.
"Did you say fish?" Steven Nemo sat down with them. "I love it."
Lindsay tried to remember back when she went with her father and brother. "You know those spinning blades?"
"Spinner blades. What about them?"
"How much do they cost?"
"You want to go fishing? I have a bunch I can give you."
"I was just wondering. Are they more than twenty-five cents each?"
"No, that'd be kind of high. I get them by the tens. They come to about fifteen cents apiece, I would guess."
"What do you catch with them?"
"Well, bass, trout, crappie-a bunch of different fish."
"Do you ever stake them out on the bottom and let the fish come to them, then go pick the fish up?" Lindsay had never heard of that kind of fishing before, but she wasn't a fisherman.
"What?" Steven laughed until tears formed in his eyes. "Who told you that? They taking you snipe hunting?"
"Hello, guys." Lewis pulled up a chair on the corner between Nate and Sarah. "What's so funny?"
"Don't ever take Lindsay fishing with you," Steven replied. "She's got some funny notions about how to do it." Steven took a bite of food, still laughing. The others joined in, including Lindsay, mainly because he was laughing so hard.
"Nate," Lewis said, "how's the computer program coming?"
"Great. I recalculated the Estrella finds. Out of seven items, two came within twenty yards of the Estrella, two within fifty yards, one within a hundred, and two within a half-mile."
Lewis slapped him on the back. "That's great, Nate, great. That's much closer, that's significant."
Nate didn't seem to enjoy praise from Lewis. Lindsay knew how he felt. Praise from Lewis meant more work at a faster pace. Steven was thinking the same thing, apparently, from the eye contact he made with Lindsay.
"I've put in a lot of new data that I'm getting from different places," said Nate.
"Have you tried the other?" asked Lewis.
Lindsay understood the 'other' meant the gold coins she had found.
"You know," Nate said, "the last time I tried to get computer time, there was a problem, and I've got more variables now."
"I had a long talk with Easterall today. I don't think there will be a problem. You can get on it this evening."
"I have a lot more data I'd like to plug in. The more data, the closer to the target, and the less time we spend on the diving end of it."
"Do you need help keying in the data? I can hire-"
Nate was shaking his head. "I'd just have to double-check their work. I'd rather do it myself. I have to have confidence it's right. Accuracy is essential."
"I'm glad it's going so well." Lewis turned to Lindsay. "Do you have a drawing of the last sailor yet?"
"No, but I have a plan. I can draw with my feet and one eye and examine bones with my hands and the other eye."
Lewis stood up, flashing his white teeth. "If you can do that, it'd be great." Lindsay and Steven made eye contact again.
When Lewis left, Steven asked John if Lewis had been that pushy with him when he was building the dam.
"Once," John said.
"What did you say to him?"
"I told him he could have quick or he could have dead."
They laughed.
"I suppose that had a lot more impact coming from an Indian than it would from us palefaces," Steven said.
John grinned. "I think it probably did."
"I think I've had my fill of macaroni and cheese." Lindsay picked up her dishes and took them to the kitchen, followed by John.
"I have to go soon. How about we take a walk on the deck?" he said.
"1'd love to." Lindsay thanked Nate and Sarah as she left.
"You know, Lindsay, I have this fish whistle you can call them with. I'll sell it to you," Steven yelled as they were leaving.
The sun was near the horizon, bright orange against a sky that had all the shades of blue. Dark clouds were moving across the face of it, and the wind blew so hard it whipped their long hair. In the opposite direction, seaward, the sky was a navy blue and dark with more clouds. Lindsay looked over at the cofferdam, shining like a jewel in the crown. John stood behind Lindsay and put his arms around her, shielding her from the biting wind.
"We had more wind than this when we were building her. I designed her for the ocean." His breath was warm in her ear. "She will protect your Spanish ship."
John made the cofferdam sound like a goddess rising from the sea floor guarding one of the ocean's mysteries. Lindsay turned around in his arms and faced him. He put his hands on her shoulders.
"Lindsay."
"What?"
&nbs
p; "Take care of yourself."
"Is that what you were going to say?"
"No. You are going to do what you will do. Just be careful doing it."
Lindsay kissed him. "You better go take care of your mistress over there so she won't get cranky and drown us."
Lindsay was in bed reading when Bobbie came in.
"The sea is rough out there. I think Luke and I traveled as far vertically as we did horizontally." Bobbie changed into a nightshirt, brushed her teeth, and crawled into bed.
"You have a nice time with Luke?" Lindsay asked.
"Yes, I did. We didn't get along at first, but we do now. Did you figure out what that thing is?"
"The quarter? No."
"Maybe it was marking something."
"Maybe," Lindsay agreed.
"You know, we have a map that shows a trail of artifacts, and we have grids we search. But my team hardly ever searches within the parameters of the expected area of recovery. I've been thinking-I mean, it's almost like Nate is looking for another ship."
"Don't think about it."
"Why?" Lindsay didn't say anything. "Lindsay?" Bobbie jumped out of bed and came over and sat on the foot of her bed. "You know something, don't you?"
"Bobbie. I can't say anything, and I won't lie to you. But please, don't voice your thoughts on this subject out loud."
"Oh, my. Wouldn't that be fun? But why would it be a secret? I guess you wouldn't want the Jones woman to loot it. What kind of ship is it?"
"Bobbie, go to bed."
Bobbie crossed her legs and got comfortable. "I heard you cleaned Easterall's clock today. Mike's, too."
Lindsay put down her reading and told Bobbie about the conversations.
"I'll bet that was satisfying," Bobbie said.
"Well, I confess it was."
"Interesting stuff in the chest. I like it that it's Valerian's. Do you think Mike broke into it?"
"I don't know."
"Well, you've got to hurry and solve all this. What are you reading?"
"Harper finished the translation. Yours is on your bed if you're interested."
Bobbie jumped off Lindsay's bed and settled into hers with the diary.
Chapter 28
A'Passenger's 'Diary: Part IV
from a voyage on the Spanish jalleon Estrella de' Espana C. 1558
franslated by J1arper Gatlunn
AMAN WAS accused of stealing food today. The steward, I understand, is swift in his punishments for thefts. I do not know all the particulars, but the steward's food storage area was broken into and some biscuits were found wrapped in a cloak in the man's sea chest. Valerian and I stood together on the deck to watch the punishment. We didn't have to, but we did. The crew had to watch, and I was listening to their grumblings as they assembled. I discovered that the man was the same one whom the boatswain had favored over the rescued sailor, Sancho, in the matter of sleeping space. This made me suspicious and I searched the crew's faces for Sancho and found him near the front, a smirk on his face.
The sailor had his head bowed as he was taken up to the poop deck by a couple of his mates where he would be tied to the shrouds to receive his lashes. I felt for the sailor and, as at many other times on this voyage, felt fortunate for my station. Because I am of the Order of Santiago, I would be exempt from such punishment, even by the House of Trade. I am thankful for my good service as a soldier, the pure Spanish blood of my ancestors-and my wealth. I noted a serious expression on Valerian's face. Perhaps he was thinking my thoughts, thinking about his own mixed heritage and the fact that it is only his own personal wealth that gives him any protection.
I looked back toward the poop deck in time to see the man break away and leap down, race across deck, streaking past Valerian and me-the boatswain and steward in pursuit. We were all surprised. His comrades did not try to stop him. However, some of the soldiers on deck did, only to be menaced by the sailors. The man sprinted across the deck to the bow of the ship and leaped down onto the prow, where the pursuit stopped.
I was puzzled. The man was at the end and could go no farther. Why didn't the boatswain and steward take him? "Sanctuary," Valerian whispered to me. I watched, fascinated.
"You were already taken," said the boatswain. "Come back. It will be worse if you don't."
The sailor shook his head vigorously. "I protest. I am innocent."
"We found the biscuits in your chest," said the steward.
The sailor pointed to Sancho. "He put them there. You know that's true," the sailor implored the steward. I saw the steward and the boatswain exchange glances. "Please," he said, "let me take it to the House o' Trade." They looked to the captain and he nodded. "Oh, thank you," said the sailor, kneeling. "You are most generous."
That ended the episode. I discovered that the crewmen are not without some recourse. That is a good thing.
Lopez approached me today. I was at my favorite post on the weather deck looking out at the ocean when he came up behind me. "Why are you on this voyage?" he asked of me. "You are a man of a wealthy family. The captain said that your brother requested the favor that you sail with us, but I think that the favor was for someone more important, eh?"
There are many things I could have said to him. I could have said, "You are acquainted with my wife's cousin. She and my wife were raised together and, though quite different in appearance, they are as alike as twins in temperament." But that would have defamed my Luisa to another (however accurate the portrayal of her). I could have hinted at misjudgment in the management of the meager inheritance left to me, and said that I asked my brother to find me a position in the New World. That would not be true, but it is so common a story that it is credible. I could have said I am adventurous to the point of suicidal, which I am beginning to believe is true, having agreed to come on this journey. However, such explanations would have exposed me as a man with something to hide, so I said to him the only thing that would make him believe all of the above explanations (if they were ever told him). "My dear friend Lopez, you ask things that are not your concern." As a man of honor, I refused to answer his excessively probing questions. But I could not help but wonder if Valerian had told him of my midnight ramblings in the bowels of the ship.
I saw something wondrous today. The ocean has been calm and the air warm. The ships in the fleet are spaced wide apart. Life is good. Valerian and I spend much time on the upper decks watching the sea. It can be hypnotic. As a child, I was told many stories about monsters that lurk in the seas and on distant lands. I see now how such stories come to arise. I heard the thing before I saw it. Valerian was about to explain something to me when I heard the hiss of a serpent. A sailor yelled and pointed and the men scrambled. I looked to see what could cause such a sound and at a distance not more than the Rosario was from us, I saw the supple, shimmering neck of a sea serpent. That was my first thought and I think I must have exclaimed, for Valerian gripped my arm and I heard him laugh. I soon discovered that the creature was a column of water, lifted by what, I can't imagine. (Valerian says the wind, but Valerian also thinks he can fly.) It moved across the water as if alive. Bellisaro yelled instructions to the helmsman and we veered away, as did others in our convoy. No ship was hurt by it, but I understand it could have destroyed us had we the misfortune to sail through it. I watched it until it disappeared into the horizon.
The evening last, following the sighting of the monster, Valerian and I played a game of chess. Before going to bed, we had drinks with the captain and Lopez in the captain's cabin. We were jovial (as were the crew). We have not many more days left before we reach Havana. After drinks, I bid him good night and went to bed. I slept soundly during the night. I awoke late, but refreshed. I fancied myself becoming quite a good sailor.
I went to the forecastle deck and found that we are in a very strange place. The waters are clearest blue and the sea is calm. A strange mass of green plants floats in the water and we seem to be entangled in them. The crew, whose moods I am learning to read, ar
e quiet but nervous. Some stare at the sails, for there is little wind. I looked to see if the rest of the fleet are thus quelled. They are gone. I searched the seas in all directions, squinting at the horizon for a familiar silhouette. We are alone in this strange sea.
When I discovered our situation, I felt fear rise in my stomach, then felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning, I faced Valerian. I saw in his eyes a look of intimate knowledge, his lips upturned in a sliver of a smile. "Do not be afraid of adventure, my friend," he said.
The ship moves slowly through the watery forest. Valerian says the slowness is not the floating vines, but the lack of wind, but that is all he will tell me. I realize that whatever it is the three of them are up to, I will find out soon enough. I watch Bellisaro. He does not use his instruments as much, as he has the crew tend the sails and the helmsman tend the tiller. Watching him calms me. He is so engrossed in the progress of the ship, his face so intent on his task, and it came to me how much he loves the sea and the challenge of guiding a ship through its waters, catching whatever wind he can.
The way through the sea is slow, for there has been little wind for three days. Today we were completely becalmed. Bellisaro gave the order for the guardian to lower the ship's boats. Once in the water, the guardian directed the oarsmen and they towed the ship. Progress now is even slower and the crew grumble. They are fearful of such a calm sea and strange plants that hang on the oars as they come out of the water.
We do, however, eat much fresh fish. It is a welcome change, and the steward is not stingy with the crew's food, as he usually is. I am glad the captain saw fit to order extra rations. Whatever mission we are on, the captain realizes the benefit of a satisfied crew.
Today was the second day towing the ship. I was fishing along with Valerian and the cook when a fish jumped out of the water and flew. Flew! Its flight wasn't far, perhaps three codos before it dipped back into the water. I have never before seen a fish fly. I hadn't known they could.
The things that delight me and Valerian make many of the sailors apprehensive. In these dead, calm waters surrounded by the seaweed and sea creatures, traveling less than a knot through the water, oppressed by the wet heat, tempers erupt at the slightest provocation. However, many men take their spirits from Bellisaro. If he does not seem worried, then neither are they. Indeed, he does not seem overly anxious, though I have noticed a growing tenseness in him throughout the voyage. But it may be my imagination. Bellisaro is not an easy man to read.
LC 04 - Skeleton Crew Page 27