Several of the men continued to shout for release from the flooded compartment. At last the hatch was thrown open and a couple of the Spanish pirates looked down upon them. There was a look of shock upon their faces when they saw the water nearly up to the hatch. They spoke rapidly between themselves, and then one of them turned away for a moment. The next thing they knew the captain was staring down at them, as well. He said something to his men in Spanish and they leaped to do his bidding.
“¡Súbanse! ¡Súbanse! Get out!” they yelled at their captives, beckoning for them to climb out of the hatch. “¡El capitán dice que salgan de ahí! The captain says to get out of there!”
The prisoners were more than happy to obey! They forgot their aches and pains for the moment as they climbed the ladder out of the flooded bilge and into fresh air and the light of day. Dawn was just breaking in the east as the storm clouds scuttled across the sky and beyond the horizon. They huddled there breathing deeply of the fresh, tangy sea air. The cool breeze was brisk, and they shivered in their wet clothes but they did not care. It felt wonderful to be out of the hold!
The Spaniards did not allow them to enjoy their freedom, however. They forced them to sit down on the deck and then clapped leg irons around their ankles, chaining them all together to one of the masts. Even that, though, could not dampen their spirits. They were out of their prison, the storm was over and they had not drowned! The men joined him with grateful hearts as Noble thanked God for their deliverance.
The galleon was listing to one side. The water in the hold did not rise any higher once the storm was over and the waves had died down. Fortunately, the leak was above the water line in the calm sea, and unless there was another storm, the ship appeared to be out of danger. The captain ordered a few of his men to make what repairs they could while they were still at sea. Two of the Spaniards went down into the bilge, while another hung over the side on a rope, trying to patch the leak.
Although they had been released from their prison, the captives were not treated any better than they had been before. There was no food or water all day long. As the sun rose it began to beat down on them without mercy. There was no shade in the spot where they were chained, and before long their mouths were parched and the rays of the sun burnt into their heads and eyes and skin. The cool spray from the waves hitting the side of the ship did not reach them.
“We are very far south, Will, are we not?” Noble asked one of the men chained to him. Through the days in their dark prison he had come to know the men held prisoner with him. He could not recognize them now by sight, but by the sound of their voices, and it shocked him to see how pathetic they appeared. He remembered well how they had looked upon the Sea Eagle. They had been thin, then, and dressed in tattered clothes, but at least they had been strong and able seamen. Now they were starved-looking, and filthy, with sunken eyes and greasy, stringy hair and beards. Noble could only assume he looked just as bad. John Roby especially worried him. The boy had been scrawny before, and not nearly as muscular as the others. Now he looked positively skeleton-like.
“Yes, I would guess we are somewhere near the continent of Africa,” Will answered him. “These Spanish pirates often have hideouts on the coast or on islands off of Africa.”
“Africa!” Noble exclaimed. “I told Sir Michael when we boarded the Sea Eagle that I was looking forward to seeing new, warm, sun-filled lands, but Africa was not exactly what I had in mind!”
A man named Hugh spoke up. “They are probably going to sell us for slaves.”
John looked up listlessly. “I do not think I will make it then,” he said.
“Trust in your Father, John,” Noble urged him. “We do not know what the future holds. A few good meals in you and you will begin to regain your strength. Hope will give you strength, as well. Hang on, my brother, and see how God will work.”
“Maybe it is His will for me to go home to Him,” John whispered.
Noble was silent for a moment. Finally he said, “Maybe it is, John, but until He shows us that it is, we will trust Him to strengthen you and give you life. Let us wait patiently on Him to lift us up. Will you do that, John? Will you hang on to hope?”
“Yes. We will wait and see how He works, Sir Noble.”
They began to see God’s hand at work almost immediately! The sun had finally begun to set when a small shape slipped over to the men chained to the mast. It was a boy, probably a bit younger than John Roby. He held his finger to his lips and crouched down in the shadows behind Noble.
“Please do not turn around, Señor. I do not want anyone to see me speaking to you,” he said quietly.
“You speak our language?” Noble whispered without turning around.
“You are not the first English prisoners we have had on board El Lobo del Mar.”
“El Lobo del Mar? What does that mean?” Will asked.
“It is the name of this ship—The Sea Wolf,” the boy answered.
“What is your name?” Noble asked.
“I am Pedro Vasquez. I will try to help you if I can. I have no love for the captain of this ship. El capitán, Juan Gascon, is a cruel man, and if I could escape him and El Lobo, I would. He bought me two years ago and has made me a slave to him and his pirates ever since.”
Noble’s heart was filled with pity for the boy. “My name is Noble, and this is John and Will.” He went on to introduce Hugh and Charles and some of the others to him. Then he said, “Pedro, I do not know what will happen to us, but I promise you this—if it falls within my power to help you in the days ahead, I will.”
The Spanish boy stared at Noble with his big, brown eyes. How could this young fellow, who did not look much older than himself, promise to help him? He was chained up, and filthy, and half-starved—how could he think he had the power to rescue anyone else, let alone himself? Yet somehow Pedro sensed there was more to this fellow named Noble than met the eye. Somehow, if he could, Noble would keep his promise.
“May I ask a favor of you, Pedro?” Noble asked now. “My friend John, here, is very weak and sick. Do you think you could find something for him to eat? Perhaps if he could get some food he will recover some of his strength.”
“I don’t know. I will try, though. Be quiet, all of you, and do not draw attention to yourselves. These pirates will use any excuse to beat you and torment you. I will come back as soon as I can.”
He slipped away as silently as he had come. Noble turned to John. “You see, my friend? Already the Lord brings us help—and hope—in the form of this boy. Hold on!”
The night was deep and dark before Pedro was able to return to them. Clouds covered the moon and stars, so that the deck was nearly as dark as the hold of the ship had been. A lantern at the bow of the ship cast a small puddle of light around it, but its glow could not pierce the shadows that surrounded the prisoners. They were not aware even that Pedro had returned until they heard a whisper in their ears.
“I am sorry it took me so long,” he said. “I did not forget you. I had to wait until the cook got drunk and fell asleep before I could steal some biscuits for you.” He pressed a bucket into Noble’s hands. “There is one for each of you, and two for your sick friend. I also found a barrel with some smoked meat and brought a piece for him, as well. It is el capitán’s, and if he finds out I have stolen from him he will have me flogged—but he will not find out!” Pedro chuckled quietly.
“Please, my friend, do not take such chances for us. We do not want to see you punished,” Noble said.
Pedro shrugged. “They will whip me, no matter what, whenever it strikes their fancy so it may as well be for something as for nothing. Wait, now, and I will try to come back with some water for you all.”
Noble passed the biscuits out to the men who were chained up with him. John tried to share the small piece of meat Pedro had brought with the others but they would not hear of it. “Eat it, John,” Noble urged him softly. “The rest of us will get by a while longer without it, but you need it. Let us thank
the Lord now for His provision for us.” He bowed his head and whispered a prayer to their Heavenly Father who had not forgotten them, but sent an angel, Pedro, to help them.
It did not take Pedro as long to return with a bucket of water. “Hurry!” he whispered. “I must get back. I met up with the first mate and he will be expecting me to return any moment. I told him I was sick. He did not see the water, fortunately, but I must take the buckets and get back quickly.”
They passed the pail of water around for each to take a drink, and then Pedro disappeared into the darkness once more. The prisoners settled down as well as they could to sleep. They were cold and their chains chafed them, but at least they had a little something in their bellies and their mouths were not as dry as they had been all that day. Noble thanked his Father again once more as he was drifting off to sleep. “And please, my Lord, protect Pedro from harm. I am sorry he had to lie and steal on our behalf, but please shelter him from the wrath of his captain. As he has brought us food and drink, may we have the opportunity to share Your love and the message of salvation with him, as well.”
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CHAPTER EIGHT
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Sir Michael
Sir Michael picked himself up off the deck and staggered to the railing. The sea around him was empty. There was no sign of the Spanish galleon, although the damage and destruction of the battle with her surrounded him. The Sea Eagle had fared badly from the cannons and the fight with the pirates, but she had not suffered a crippling blow, and now the brigantine sped smoothly over the waves, away from the scene of the battle.
He had no idea how long he had lain unconscious upon the deck. Several men still lay there, some of them groaning, and some silent and still. The seamen working around them paid no attention. As usual, Pyrs was on the quarterdeck screaming orders at them, while Captain Callice stood nearby, looking through his spyglass at something in the distance.
Michael’s arm throbbed and his head ached, but he had no trouble remembering the events that had happened just before he had passed out. His last memory was of seeing his friend Sir Noble being slung over the shoulder of one of the Spanish pirates and carried overboard to the galleon. He had tried to go after Noble but his wounds had overcome him and he had passed out before he could reach him.
He looked up now at the men on the quarterdeck and anger coursed through him. How could they let the Spanish galleon simply disappear without even attempting a rescue of the men who had been kidnapped from the Sea Eagle? His arm hurt ferociously, but he ignored it and raced up the steps to the top of the quarterdeck. “What are you doing?” he shouted angrily. “Where is the galleon? Why aren’t you going after her? We must save the men who were taken prisoner!”
Captain Callice turned and looked at him coldly. Pyrs rushed up to him and screamed, “Get off the quarterdeck, or I’ll have you put in chains yourself and thrown below!”
“Not before I get some answers! We must go back! I’ll not allow Sir Noble to be captured without at least trying to rescue him!”
Pyrs started to scream again, but the captain pushed him out of the way. “You’ll not allow?” he snarled at Sir Michael. “May I remind you that I am the captain of this ship, and you have no say whatsoever in the matter?”
“You would forsake your own men, as well, then?” Sir Michael asked with disgust.
“My men knew full well both the risks and the rewards when they signed on to sail with the Sea Eagle! They will not expect to be rescued. As far as I am concerned, they are gone for good and forgotten!”
“What rewards? As far as I can see, your men have had no rewards whatsoever for serving you. But no! I will not forget and I shall do all in my power to rescue Sir Noble.”
“You will have a long wait then to go after him, for you will not do it on the Sea Eagle. Now get off my quarterdeck,” Callice hissed. “And mark my words, if I see you making trouble, I will let Pyrs have his way and I will personally throw you in chains down below!” The captain grabbed him by his wounded arm and shoved him toward the stairs.
Sir Michael had no choice. It would do Noble no good if he was in chains, as well. Somehow he had to come up with a plan and the means to go after his friend.
He was in a corner trying to wrap up his wounded arm when one of the seamen approached him. The long gash across his upper arm was oozing blood again. Michael tore off a part of his shirt to use as a bandage and wound it around the injury.
He was trying to tie it with one hand when the sailor came up to him and quietly said, “Here—I’ll tie it for ye.” He quickly made a knot and then said in a low voice, “I heard what ye said to the captain up there. They took me brother, too. It angers me that Callice won’t even try to rescue him. The others are angry, as well, for the Spanish dogs took a dozen of our men and the captain doesn’t care at all. We know that if the next time we are captured he will simply leave us behind, also.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Sir Michael asked quietly.
“I don’t know. We don’t have a plan. The men are afraid of Captain Callice for he can be a very cruel man. Pyrs is a worm. We could step on him if we have to, but the captain is another story.”
“What is your name?” Michael asked.
“Davy, sir.”
“Well, Davy, we must come up with a plan then. There are far more of us than there is of Captain Callice. I am not afraid of him, but we must be careful and wise. Now, tell me, what comes next? Where is the Sea Eagle headed?”
“Actually, we will be pulling into a small town called Porto in Portugal tomorrow morning for repairs.”
“A-ha! Already I see the beginnings of a plan, my friend! Listen—here is what I think we ought to do…” Sir Michael whispered into the seaman’s ear until finally Davy nodded and slipped away. Michael settled down to wait and pray.
The night passed slowly. With each passing minute he thought of the Spanish galleon slipping further and further away. Would it simply disappear, and Noble be gone forever, never to be found again? He thought of having to return to Caernarfon and tell King Stephen what had happened, and even worse, Noble’s granny. He could not do that. At least, not without trying with all his might to find his friend and rescue him. He had no doubt Sir Noble would do the same for him if he had been the one taken prisoner.
At last dawn broke and in the distance he could see the hazy shape of land ahead. For the next hour it seemed to creep closer and closer. He moved away from the railing, and at last Davy slipped over to him in the corner where they had talked the day before.
“Did you talk with the others?” Noble asked him as soon as they were sure they were out of sight of the quarterdeck.
Davy nodded. “The men think your plan is a good one. They are loyal to one another and will not fail us. They do not feel such loyalty to Captain Callice after all he has done against us and our friends.”
“You are sure the ship is still seaworthy? She will not sink if we do not make the repairs, will she?”
“No, the Sea Eagle may be battered, but she will continue to sail. It is only the captain’s pride that makes him take her to port for repairs. He puts his ship before the lives of his men. We may have been able to rescue our men right away if he had not been so worried about the damage that was being done to his precious Sea Eagle.”
“Pride goeth before a fall. Captain Callice will pay for his pride,” Sir Michael murmured.
Davy grinned. “I cannot wait to see it.”
“Well, actually we will not see it. Hopefully we will be long-gone before Captain Callice comes back to the harbor and finds the Sea Eagle missing!” He paused. “How long until we get into Porto?”
“About another hour I would say. The captain will probably go ashore as soon as we are docked.”
“Good. We will waste no time in putting our plan into action then. As soon as we are sure he is safely out of sight and sound we will take care of Pyrs and sail away!” Sir Michael and Davy shook hands and then
parted ways.
He was standing by the rail, watching Porto loom ever closer, when Pyrs came up behind him. “The captain wants to see you,” he growled. “Now!”
“We are about to dock,” Sir Michael observed.
“It is no concern of yours! Get up there, before the captain gets impatient!” Pyrs nodded his head in the direction of the quarterdeck and stepped forward to give Sir Michael a shove. The knight side-stepped him at the last moment, however, and the small man stumbled into the railing. Before he could turn around, Sir Michael had already moved away and was headed up the steps.
Captain Callice got right to the point. “Prepare to go ashore with me when we dock. You are no longer welcome aboard the Sea Eagle. There are other ships in Porto. You may find your own way back to Caernarfon, or go to Brittany, or chase after your friend to the ends of the earth, for all I care. I will not allow you to stay on my ship a minute longer than I have to.”
Pyrs joined them just then. He threw a bundle at Sir Michael’s feet. “Here are your belongings, and those of your friend, as well.”
“You will stay here on the quarterdeck with us until we have docked, Sir Michael. I do not want you talking with the other men and causing trouble. I will personally see that you get passage on another ship.”
Too late! Sir Michael thought, hiding a smile. He had a problem now, however. He had no desire to leave the Sea Eagle. If he was forced to leave with Callice he would have to find a way back to her. “I am eager to go after my friend,” he said, “and I will find a way.” He did not say he planned to use the captain’s ship!
A few minutes later the brigantine was being tied to a pier in Porto. “Come with me,” Captain Callice ordered.
Sea of Honor (Noble Heart Book 5) Page 5