Carter was sure that the sloop’s crew would rush out of concealment at the first shout of a lookout.
An officer strolled out of one of the tents amongst the trees. He was quite old and dark haired; beside him walked a much younger boy, obviously a midshipman. Carter remembered his earlier plan to snatch a youngster and exchange him for Fletcher; perhaps this could work. For the moment he would wait and watch. Slipping back into the woods, Carter re-joined his men.
‘Set up camp on the next island,’ he told them. ‘Tonight we will return.’
CHAPTER 25
Mr. Samuel walked down to one of the longboats drawn up onto the beach. As he climbed on board, Midshipman St. George ordered the boat shoved off and rowed round the ship. The works were progressing well, with all the damaged planks removed. Williams had the necessary replacement planks in his store; the broken frames, however, had to be found ashore. Several trees had been felled and his mates worked with adze and axe to shape the green timber.
‘Will you remove the broken frames, Mr. Williams?’ Samuel asked.
‘I cannot, sir. They extend up past the second stringer; all I can do is double up and spike one to another. This timber will not last, sir; it will rot away in no time.’
‘As long as it lasts long enough to get us back to Portsmouth dockyard, the captain will be content,’ Samuel told him. ‘Captain Fletcher has great faith in your work as we all do.’
*
Carter changed his mind. He still did not understand where the main body of the Challenger’s crew could be. Perhaps Fletcher was dead or off on some campaign or other.
‘I will return at first light tomorrow,’ he told his men. ‘If we can discover what is happening in that camp we will be able to put our plan into action.’
All the next day Carter lay concealed behind the naval camp. He watched as the repair work progressed, people cooked food and an officer, who might have been a surgeon, tended some wounded seamen. Still he saw no sign of Fletcher or the main body of his men. Towards evening the young midshipman walked into the woods. Carter followed and watched as the boy urinated against a tree.
Making up his mind Carter walked up behind the lad and struck him across the head with his pistol. Throwing the unconscious boy over his shoulder, the pirate re-joined his longboat and returned to the other island.
When he reached his men Carter ordered them all into the boats. ‘We will capture at least two more men and then go back to the ships,’ he told them.
CHAPTER 26
No man had been allowed to tread anywhere in the clearing. Whilst setting up the ambush the crew had moved through the vegetation on both sides. The guns were hidden by shrubs and bushes as well as tall grass, cut carefully from some distance away. As David and Zuri walked the game trail they could see no sign of the waiting men. Zuri had insisted that David take his shoes off before walking the trail.
‘The French will have local men with them,’ he explained. ‘They will recognize your shoe marks.’
This morning Nanji and his people would arrive. Zuri would meet him in the pass and walk him through the clearing and out the other side before letting the tribe make camp out of sight. Nanji’s warriors would then prepare for the coming battle, but quietly; no dancing and no drums.
They appeared just before noon; first, the women and children, carrying the baggage. Then Nanji came with his warriors. Once the tribe had selected a campsite some distance from the clearing David greeted Zuri’s father.
The man was massive; he seemed even bigger than when they had last met.
‘The French are half a day behind,’ Nanji told him. ‘They fear to attack my warriors.’
More likely they just want you to lead them to me, David thought. Once he was sure Nanji understood the plan, David returned to the guns and settled down to wait in the shade.
They came slowly. First, four natives following the trail left by Nanji’s people and then came the French troops. A lieutenant led the ranks of soldiers. They approached with great care, scanning the surrounding undergrowth for any sign of movement. As they moved across the clearing David found himself holding his breath, afraid that at any moment one of his hidden men would cough or sneeze. At last the officer drew level with the hidden guns and David fired his pistol at him. At this signal the clearing erupted in gun fire as the cannon and muskets cut into the French column.
The Challenger’s crew rushed out of hiding, screaming their pent-up rage. Whilst from behind David, Nanji’s warriors poured into the clearing.
The initial attack struck down a good half of the French force, but these were hardened troops; they fought back and began an orderly withdrawal back though the pass. Mustering his people, David led them forward in an all-out attempt to stop the enemy reaching their objective, knowing that once they were through the narrow gap the advantage would be with the French. At the height of the battle the French broke and turned to run back the way they had come, pursued by the native warriors who hunted the fleeing blue coats with whoops of joy.
It took some time to stop the killing. Nanji’s people could not understand that the wounded on both sides had to be cared for. That night David camped some distance from the killing ground and the following morning they buried the dead before beginning the journey back to the Challenger. David went on ahead with twenty seamen; the remainder came more slowly, bringing the wounded and the guns.
Finally, the marines came, covering the rear.
There were still a number of French troops at large, although not enough to present any great risk.
As David walked through the forest he reflected on the battle and the fact that since the action his headaches had gone. Apart from being stiff in the back and shoulder he seemed to have recovered. On arrival at the Challenger he was approached by a worried-looking Mr. Samuel.
‘Mr. St. George disappeared two nights ago, sir,’ he reported. ‘Since then we have been searching for him, but two seamen have vanished in the meantime.’
‘Where was he when he disappeared?’
‘I don’t know, sir. He was seen walking down the beach, by the men working on the ship, but nobody has seen him since.’
‘Ask Nanji to send his people to look for our people; they have the best chance of finding our lost men.’
David cursed his luck. Why did it have to be young St. George?
The works on the Challenger’s hull were progressing well; the frames were doubled up and the new planking was being fitted.
The smell of hot pitch wafted through the air. ‘How long, Mr. Williams?’ David asked.
‘Another day, sir, and then we can let her back up,’ the carpenter told him.
David smiled at him. ‘That’s good work; the sooner we get back to sea the better I’ll feel.’
The marines set up a perimeter two miles out from the camp.
David was sure the French would not give up so easily. For the next few days, however, nothing was heard of them.
As the masthead tackles were eased, the Challenger was slowly allowed to become upright once more.
Having pulled her into deeper water, first, her ballast and then the stores were transferred by longboat. This involved many trips from beach to ship and the works went on night and day. As the ship settled back onto her marks her spars were sent up, followed by the sail. Thirty-two days after arriving in this bay the first of the Challenger’s guns were swung back on board.
Jameel sat and watched David from across his desk.
‘They have searched all the islands in this part of the delta, Captain,’ he said. ‘There are signs of longboats having landed on both this headland and the next, but Zuri assures me nobody is here now.’
‘Why would somebody snatch three men and run off with them?’ David asked nobody in particular.
‘To gain information,’ Peterson offered.
‘What information would they hope to gain from a thirteen-year-old boy?’
‘Unless it’s Carter,’ Chaney said in a hus
hed voice. ‘Mr. St. George’s hair is quite light in colour.’
David turned towards him. ‘In which case why have we not found his body parts spread all over the ground?’ Nobody answered his question.
Lieutenant Martin stretched his back. ‘At least the French have left us alone,’ he said. ‘My men followed them for fourteen miles. They kept straight on back the way they came.’
‘Yes, that is good news. We will move as soon as the ship is loaded, however, before they change their minds.’ David stood and dismissed his officers.
From the deck the sound of the cannon being loaded on board went on late into the night and once work was stopped the sound of the crew settling back on board brought the ship back to life.
First light saw work resumed and as the sun came up there was a shout from the aft rail. Looking in the direction several seamen were pointing, David saw a man staggering down the far bank.
‘That’s Blake,’ a man told him. ‘One of the foretop men who went missing.’
The gig quickly pulled across to the man who had collapsed into the water. Once carried to the deck the man was laid in the shade of the poop deck awning; his face was battered and he was bleeding from his chest. Mr. Woods knelt beside him and opened his shirt. Two shallow cuts crossed his chest. David knelt beside the surgeon and spoke softly to the seaman.
‘Blake, can you hear me?’ he asked.
The man rolled his head towards him. ‘He sent me with a message, sir. I’m to tell you that if you want the boy, you must come alone and get him.’
‘Mr. St. George is alive and unharmed?’
‘He’s still alive, sir.’
‘What of the other seaman?’
‘He’s to wait at the tree line and bring you to the meeting place, sir.’
Lieutenant Martin spoke up. ‘I’ll take some of my lads, sir; I’ll soon sort that bastard out.’
‘Do you know where Carter is?’ David asked Blake.
‘It is Carter, isn’t it?’
‘It is Carter, sir, but they moved off when I was brought here, I know not where.’
David stood up. ‘Bring Jameel to the cabin,’ he ordered. When the man arrived David informed him of what was happening. ‘Find Zuri and have him set off into the jungle with as many of his men as he can raise quickly; they must not be seen or heard. He must try to track me to the meeting place.
I don’t know how many men Carter will have with him, but one thing is sure: he will want to get me on my own to play his little games. My life and that of Midshipman St. George will depend on Zuri finding us and finding us quickly.’
Chaney stood in his path. ‘You cannot do this, sir,’ he said. ‘You are of more value to this ship than a midshipman.’
‘He’s right,’ Peterson joined in.
‘You have no right to endanger the ship by risking your life in this way, sir.’
‘Nonetheless I’m going,’ David told them. ‘If I do not return you will take this ship back to Portsmouth and report to Admiral Keyton.’
‘Then let me come with you,’ Chaney insisted.
‘Did you not hear what Blake said, Chaney? I am to go alone.’
David put his hand on the marine’s shoulder. ‘You must carry the news to my mother, old friend.’
The gig pulled slowly across to the shore where a dishevelled seaman sat in the grass. In addition to the boat’s crew, eight marines watched the jungle with muskets at the ready. David jumped ashore and walked up to the exhausted-looking seaman.
‘What’s your name?’ he asked.
‘Woodcraft, sir,’ the man replied.
‘Very well, Woodcraft, lead the way.’ David turned back to the boat. ‘Return to the ship and stay there,’ he ordered. He then followed Woodcraft into the jungle.
‘What are your instructions, Woodcraft?’ David asked.
‘I am to take you due north, sir. There is a game trail about half a mile ahead; we are to follow that until we are contacted.’
The trail, when they arrived, was narrow and crossed a small stream. It then turned North West and wandered through the undergrowth. As they walked on, Woodcraft twice staggered and would have fallen if David had not grabbed him.
‘Are you injured?’ David asked.
‘Not too badly, sir. A couple of Carter’s men had a little fun with me; I’ll live.’
‘Rest when you need to,’ David told him. At that moment four men stepped out of the bushes. A huge, bearded man struck Woodcraft across the head with a boarding axe. They then dragged David to the ground.
*
‘Dump your coats,’ Chaney ordered his marines. ‘Quickly, I don’t want them to get too far ahead.’
‘If the captain knew we were behind him he would have us all flogged,’ one man said.
‘Shut your trap and move,’ Chaney snarled, setting off down the game trail.
*
‘Where are my marines?’ Lieutenant Martin stared over the rail to where the gig lay grounded on the beach. He raised his hands in frustration. ‘The bloody boat’s crew has gone as well,’ he spluttered.
In the jungle Jameel ran as fast as he could, but Zuri and his men were slowly drawing ahead. They were almost out of sight when suddenly he saw them stop. As Jameel came up to them, Zuri signalled for him to get down and be quiet.
Putting his mouth close to Jameel’s ear Zuri said, ‘Man walk here.’
Slowly they crawled forward and parting the foliage saw a group of men looking down at something on the ground. Recognizing Chaney, Zuri stood up. Chaney turned and then jumped back in alarm.
‘Hell’s teeth, you young sod. You frightened the life out of me,’ he said. They looked down at the body of Woodcraft. ‘His head’s stove in,’ Chaney told them.
Zuri said something to Jameel who told them to get off of the path and hang back. The tribesmen would follow the trail and keep them all out of sight.
*
With his hands tied behind him David was pushed off of the trail and through the dense jungle. After travelling some distance they came up to a line of armed seamen hidden across their path.
‘Just in case your mates come after you,’ one of the pirates said, pushing David forward. For another hour they struggled on until they broke out of the foliage into a small clearing.
Sitting under a tree was John Carter, who leapt to his feet on seeing them arrive. He ran across the clearing and took David’s face between his shaking hands. Carter seemed unable to speak; his mouth worked and saliva ran down his chin. Suddenly, he struck David in the mouth and with a shriek of laughter began dragging him, by the hair, towards the trees.
As they entered the tree line Carter threw his victim to the ground and began tearing at David’s shirt. Exposing his enemy’s chest Carter ran his hands, almost tenderly, along the scars he had put there so long ago.
The pirate crew had gathered to watch and as if realizing they were there for the first time Carter leaped up and screamed at them to go away.
*
Zuri had climbed a tree and now sat watching the line of pirates who waited in ambush. Satisfied, he dropped soundlessly to the ground and returned to the others. Looking at Chaney, Zuri held up the fingers of one hand three times.
‘I should go after the captain with Zuri and his people,’ Jameel said. ‘You stay here; we can circle out to the east.’
Chaney looked at him. ‘Sod off,’ he said. ‘I’m going for the captain.’
‘Your people make too much noise,’ Jameel argued. ‘You should give us time to reach the captain and then kill these pirates.’
‘Zuri can lead us all to the east,’ Chaney said with finality. ‘Where is he?’ They looked round to find that all the natives had vanished. ‘Hell’s teeth,’ the marine cursed. ‘Now what do we do? Can you track them?’
‘I’m a camel driver from the desert not a jungle fighter,’ the Arab lad replied. ‘We must wait until they come back.’
‘If they come back,’ Chaney spat at him. ‘For all
I know they could have gone home.’ At that moment a scream echoed through the trees. ‘Get in line,’ the marine called to his men. ‘Be ready.’ For some minutes they waited in silence until Zuri suddenly appeared beside them wearing a large black hat.
‘All die,’ he said happily.
*
Carter made his preparations with great care. He spread David’s legs and tied his feet to bushes, having first forced his bound hands under his feet to bring them to the front.
He then pulled David’s arms above his head and tied his wrists to a tree. The pirate now stood and looked at David, his fast breathing the only sign of his excitement. Then slowly he began to take off his clothes until he stood naked at David’s feet. From his britches he had taken a large knife, which he now began to sharpen on a flat stone. David had asked where Midshipman St. George was and received no reply. Now he asked again. For a moment the pirate stopped what he was doing and stared at David as if he did not understand. He then resumed sharpening the knife without answering.
Once satisfied with the knife edge Carter knelt down and began cutting away David’s britches, slowly taking his time. He cut away all his prisoner’s clothing, which he threw to one side. Placing the knife on David’s stomach Carter slowly ran his hands over David’s body as if inspecting a horse. He then stood and walked slowly round the bound figure, examining him from every angle.
David in turn stared at Carter, or at the ruin that Carter had become. His long, black hair matted with filth. The scars on his face and leg and the empty eye socket. The once powerful body was covered in sores and ground in dirt; any hope of talking to this madman he put from his mind. He remembered his mother saying he would not be happy until some madman had cut him to pieces and felt pity for the lonely woman who he would never see again. Carter knelt beside him and leaned forward to stare into David’s face. Saliva dripped into David’s eyes as Carter picked up the knife.
David had promised himself he would not give Carter the satisfaction of hearing him scream, but as the knife was drawn across his chest he could not stop his voice from bubbling up in his throat.
By the Knife Page 34