Crossbone Children and the Orphans of Avalon

by Gregory Ellis

  John turned back to face them, "I have no doubt we will give a good accounting of ourselves if called on. Besides," he grinned, "we can't be killed while on the water!"

  Near dawn, John Henry was sleeping half sitting, half reclining on the bench seat in the stern cabin, his head swaying to the gentle movement of the ship. He heard a sound which caused him to sit up straight. He had heard a splash as if something had fallen into the water. Trying to clear the slumber from his brain, he peered out the window trying to see if he see anything. Unable to see, he dashed from the cabin and up to the deck. Buster Jack was on watch and standing near the wheel.

  "Did you hear something?" John asked him asked Buster Jack.

  Jack shrugged, "Nothing, why?"

  "I thought I heard a splash."

  Jack shook his head. "Didn't hear nothing from here."

  John stepped over to the stern railing and looked down at the water below. No sign of any movement or anything floating. He looked up, "Must've been my imagination. How goes the watch?"

  Buster Jack yawned before he could say, "Noth'n to report. The ship still pointing toward the last sighting of the island, should be dawn in another hour or so."

  John walked back to the helm. "How is Ava getting along?'

  "She seems to be fine. She and the other girls wish they had some other clothes, don't do too well working a ship in a dress!"

  John laughed, "I suppose not. Perhaps one day we'll be able to put into a friendly port and she can buy what she needs."

  "Aye, that would be fun." Jack replied as he rubbed his eyes trying to ward off sleep.

  John knew Jack had been awake for hours now. "Buster Jack, go below and get a few hours of sleep. I'll take the rest of your watch."

  "You sure?"

  "Of course, if there's a fight coming in the morning, you could do with some sleep." Buster Jack nodded as he walked to the hatch and disappeared below.

  John stood alone on the quarter deck and looked up at the starry night. So many stars in the sky it seemed to be filled with tiny specks of light. He spotted some familiar constellations and was suddenly comforted.

  John jumped, as a girls voice said, "What do you see, John?" It was Ava.

  "Ah..hemm, nothing… Nothing, just making sure of our position." John was embarrassed she had caught him gazing up at the stars like a moon struck child.

  Ava had loosened her long dark hair which floated this way and that in the gentle breeze. She looked up to watch the stars too. "They're beautiful aren't they?" But before he could reply, she continued. "Even while on the plantation, at night I would look out the window and watch the stars twinkling overhead. I suppose, I was wishing on them for someone to come and save us from a life of slavery."

  John stammered trying to find the right words. "Your wish came true and here you are. Although I doubt your wish included being a pirate!"

  She giggled, "No, I suppose not, but I'd rather be here than a slave." In her hand she had a bundle of material and John asked what she had.

  "I found some flags and material. We made a flag for the ship." She held the flag out for John to take.

  He held it up and examined it. The flag was black, with a white skull with two white crossed bones intersecting the middle of the skull. Above the skull was the letter "C" and the underneath the skull was another letter "C". "It stands for the Crossbone Children." She said shyly. "What do you think?"

  John didn't know what to say. He was holding a pirate flag for the first time, but he liked what he saw. "Well, if the enemy sees this, there is no mistaking what we are about."

  "You don't like it." She pouted.

  "No…No.. I do. It's just you took me by surprise. I had forgotten that a ship needs a proper flag." She reached out and took the flag back and folded. She opened the signal flag locker and placed it inside to be used when needed.

  John put his hand on the ship's wheel and felt the cool polished wood. He could not bring himself to look at her. Sensing his shyness, she asked, "Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? When did you enter the Navy? Tell me all the places you visited."

  He finally looked at her, "You want to know about me?"

  "Uh huh, we've got nothing better to do for an hour or so. Tell me… Please."

  The next hour flew by as John answered her questions as honestly as he could. She concentrated on every word he said, which made him nervous and forced him to choose his words well, knowing she was somewhat educated.

  She laughed and giggled when he told her of some of the comical things that done and how he was punished by kissing the gunner's daughter. She found that really funny! He told her of his family and their life together in England and sadly how things had become a tragedy upon hearing of this father's disappearance and then later upon hearing about his mother's death. She remarked how sorry she was about his parents. He said he was sorry that she and Buster Jack had lost their mother and had to scrape out a living on the streets of London.

  "That must've been a hard life." He remarked.

  "If not for Jack and Fynn, it would have been. But they made sure we had a place to sleep and a little something to eat. I was trying to find employment… something that would get us off the streets when we were arrested and… well… here we are. You know the rest of the story."

  Ava sat on the ships railing as they continued their conversation, the eastern sky became lighter, dawn was approaching. John was oblivious to anything around him. The only thing he saw was her tanned face and the way her blue eyes caught the dull light of the morning.

  Then he was brought out of his trance by a movement up forward. He stood up to see better. In the dull light, it looked like someone had just climbed over the rail by the foremast and just stood there. "Stay here." He said to her as he walked forward to see who it was.

  As he approached, he saw Scurvy Jones standing there. He approached the skinny man. "Scurvy, did you just climb over the railing? Were you in the water?

  Scurvy did not move as he said, "Nay… not in water, up in air. I saw a vessel floating over there."

  "You mean you were the lookout?"

  Scurvy nodded, "Aye, that I be and a good one for what I see!"

  "It looked like you just climbed into the ship." John glanced down and saw the canvas back that belonged to this strange gray man, but said nothing about it. If Scurvy kept his belonging with him at all times, who was he to make him stop. " A ship, where?" he asked.

  "Dead ahead he be." Scurvy pointed straight ahead.

  "What kind, could you see what type of ship it was?" John asked.

  "The mean kind!"

  "One of Sir Duncan's?" Scurvy nodded. "Which one I wonder?"

  "Scurvy don't know, but where it be, Scurvy will show."

  John retrieved a telescope and raced up the lines to see for himself. It would not be easy to spot in this dim light, but he had to try before giving the alarm. He eased himself onto the crosstree, settled his back against the mast and extended the glass. He scanned the horizon directly ahead and on both sides. He was about to come down and decided to give it one more look. Then, he saw the faint outline of a mast barely visible. It was hull down below the horizon. He closed the class and slung it over his shoulder, grabbed a back stay and slid down and hit the deck.

  Ava and Scurvy Jones were waiting for him. "See anything, John?" she asked.

  "Yes, a mast. The ship itself is below the horizon, but it's definitely a ship."

  "What shall we do?" She asked.

  "I'll get the Captain and Mr. Cumberbatch. Go below and call all hands on deck. Then we'll decide what we are about eh?" She smiled as she turned to go and do as he asked her. He ran to the stern cabin and woke both Turnbuckle and Cumberbatch.

  Chapter 19

  Battle!

  Four long hours of waiting as the Pendragon carefully chose her approach. Rather than go into a heads-on fight, it was decided that since the ship probably belonged to Sir Duncan, they would be on alert in case the old Sugar Cane ca
me to take the treasure. There might even be a second ship lurking about, so they decided on trickery to take the enemy ship.

  The sails were purposely put in disarray. The running rigging was slack and not secured and tied off. They wanted to give the impression of great confusion. Captain Turnbuckle guided the ship close enough to the unknown ship so they would be sure and see it in the morning light. Then they made no progress at all towards their target. It was hoped the ship would turn and come to the Pendragon curious as to why it did not come any closer.

  John was laying down on the mainmast crosstree and covered himself in a piece of canvas, watching through a scope as the other ship made preparations of getting underway. It turned and started towards the Pendragon. "She's taken the bait!" he yelled down.

  Cumberbatch herded the children below except Ava and eight of the youngest. They were to stay on deck and pretend they were stranded. It was assumed the other ship's captain would be watching through his glass and would see just children onboard and would be over confident on his approach.

  On they came, as the Pendragon continued to drift, sails flapping in disarray, lines swaying in the breeze. Ava and the others were assembled by the railing and looked toward the ship. "Start waving! John shouted down to them.

  Ava and the others began jumping up and down trying to get the other ship's attention. The other ship could clearly see the Pendragon and that it was not functioning properly. However, they reduced sail and slowed down until they could be certain.

  John's voice came floating down from topside, "They're slowing down. I'm not sure they believe us."

  Ava stood watching the ship's approach and made up her mind. She quickly untied her hair and jumped up on the rail and held on to a backstay. She waved and shouted to get noticed all the time her long, dark hair blowing in the wind. John turned back to watch the other ship and to his disbelief, more sail appeared on its yards and on it came. "Nice work." He yelled down to Ava.

  She did not look up, afraid they would see, and replied, "Glad you approve! I just hope I don't regret this."

  Captain Elias of the Tobago held the telescope as steady as he could. He scanned the Pendragon from stem to stern and all he could see were those children standing on the deck and that one girl or woman standing on the railing, with dress and hair flying in the wind.

  Elias's orders were to fire a cannon so the History could come and close the trap. From his deck the other ship did not appear to be worth the effort. The ship looked like the Sugar Cane, but he could not be certain, and with just children on board perhaps the others had been lost at sea or there had been a mutiny and the only ones left were ones he could see on the deck.

  "Standby by luff." He shouted. "Let fly!" With that, the Tobago turned in to the wind and the sailor furled the sails as the ship glided to a stop a few yards from the Pendragon. "Ready the grapnels." Elias shouted. "We'll board her, but be ready for any tricks."

  He took a hailing trumpet and shouted, "What ship are you?"

  Ava jumped down off the railing and she shouted, "Help us please! The crew is all dead and we have been adrift for days… please help us!"

  "Let go the hooks!" Elias commanded. Instantly six, three-pronged grapnel hooks sailed the gap of water between the two ships and landed on the deck of the Pendragon barely missing the children. The sailors pulled on the ropes and the two ships slowly came together. Elias shouted to his first mate, "Boarders away!"

  Twenty sailors of various descriptions and armed with cutlass and pistol, jumped from their ship to the Pendragon and stood looking around as if they expected to be attacked. One of the sailors grabbed Ava by the elbow. "Where is the crew?"

  Ava acted startled and weak, "Please Sir. Please don't hurt us. The crew is all dead. We're the only ones alive. Please help us!" She began to sob. John watched everyting from on high. We smiled as Ava pleaded with the sailor.

  Through his speaking trumpet, Elias commanded his men to search the ship. Fifteen or so of the men made their way to the hatches while the others walked about the ship searching for anything of value. It took a few minutes then three of the men appeared on deck. One reported back to Elias, "Nothing Capt'n!"

  John knew the three who came back up on deck was Cumberbatch, Buster Jack and because of his size and strength, Hugh. The plan was to get most of the boarders below where they would be overpowered. The three of them would then put on the boarder's coats and shirts and emerge as three boarders. John could only imagine what happened down there, but he could not linger on that thought. He slowly stood up, grabbed a rope and holding on with all his strength, he jumped free from his hiding place and swung over to the other ship. He landed right behind the captain, drew his cutlass and one pistol, "Never you fear, Captain. Surrender your ship, or die. It's your choice." Some of the sailors still on the deck of the Tobago rushed toward their captain.

  John stepped closer and pointed the blade at the captain's throat, "One more step and he'll not live to see another day!"

  Without turning, Elias shouted. "Belay that! Don't come no closer!"

  "Now tell your men to drop their weapons… now!" John shouted.

  Elias commanded them to drop their weapons. After a moment's hesitation from the crew, John inched the point of the cutlass closer to Elias' throat. Elias screeched, "Drop them now - curse your eyes!"

  The crew dropped whatever they had to the deck with a clatter. The sailors on the Pendragon did likewise and the children below deck came rushing up on deck and scooped up the discarded weapons. The captured sailors slowly came up on deck followed by more children fully armed. The crew of the Pendragon gathered the sailors in the middle and held their pistols and swords at the ready.

  One of the sailors called out, "They be noth'n but children!" Scrounger quickly took the flat of this cutlass and struck the man on top of the head sending him to deck in a heap. "Anyone else have anything to say?" Scrounge said with a grin.

  Edward Turnbuckle appeared on deck. "That be you Elias?" he shouted to the captain of the Tobago.

  Elias couldn't believe his eyes, "Turnbuckle?"

  Captain Turnbuckle paraded himself along the deck and with cutlass and a brace of pistols in his belt, he jumped over the rails and onto the Tabago. Walked up to Elias and bowed, "At your service you traitorous dog!"

  Elias was stunned, "You in command of this ship… with all these children?"

  "Aye, Matey. This be my crew -a might better than y'orn."

  "But these are the children that commandeered the Sugar Cane in Port Royal and you were aboard?"

  "Aye. Call it fate. Sir Duncan tried to hang old Turnbuckle, but now I have two of his ships."

  "I don't understand how you could sail a ship all this way with a crew of children!" Elias was puzzled. He kept looking around as if he did not believe his eyes. "They're just children!"

  "H'rr now, not just children mind yah. These be the Crossbone Children." Turnbuckle smiled and said, "Hoist the colors!" Ava's black flag with the skull and crossed bones with the two C's sailed lively up the signal line.

  "You mean to tell me that you and these children are pirates?" Elias almost broke out in laughter and some of his silent crew chuckled.

  "You be laugh'n out the side of yer face when you see what these babies can do. This ship now be known as the Pendragon, if you please." He stepped away from Elias and yelled back to the Pendragon to bring the sailors back across to their own ship and to fetch the cargo net and put them all in it. While some of the children ran to do his bidding, he commanded the others to spike the cannon, disable the rudder lines and cut all the main running rigging.

  Elias watched with fascination how the efficient the young crew was in doing what Captain Turnbuckle commanded. The cannons were cut from their lashings and pushed into the ocean. All the cutlasses, knives, pistols and other assorted weapons were thrown overboard except the weapons any of the children wanted. Most of the powder and shot were removed and put aboard the Pendragon. In less than thirty minut
es, the Tobago was rendered completely useless.

  Seemingly out of nowhere, a very large bird or what appeared to a bird momentarily blocked the sun and a fearsome shadow fell across the deck of both ships. Everyone was shouting and pointing at the creature. John ran to the side to see the creature better. To his amazement he saw the same Griffin that he had confronted on the Weymouth months ago.

  The Griffin did not stop or circle the ships, but flew in a straight line towards the nearby island.

  Every eye on the two ships followed the flight of the creature. It was then that Cumberbatch yelled out, "Look… on the horizon where that creature be fly'n… tis another ship. It be rounding the island head'n straight for us!"

  Buster Jack came running up to John as he said, "It be a creature from 'ell!"

  John smiled, "No… it was warning us of this newcomer. We might not have seen it until it was too late."

  Buster Jack could not tear his eyes from the bird, "But did you see its head and claws?"

  "Yes… I've seen it before. But never mind about that now. We have to deal with this other ship!"

  Captain Turnbuckle grabbed a glass and spotted the new comer. "T'is a Sloop of War by thunder! She be the History, if I be not mistaken." He yelled for the crew to cross back over to the Pendragon and cut away the grapnel hooks but not before he ordered Captain Elias to come over to the Pendragon. "Take old Elias here and tie him up nice and proper like. Stow him in the cargo hold, we be need'n him later." he commanded.

  Cumberbatch and John stood at the taffrail watching the History's approach through their scopes. Turnbuckle approached them and snapped open his own glass. "Arrr, it be the History alright. Commanded by that little squint, Sedly… more's the pity! She be faster than us but less guns. We'll have to bring her to grips fast or she'll stand off and pound us into boxwood."

  The Pendragon had drifted clear of the Tobago and was ready to make sail. The crew was standing amidships waiting for Captain Turnbuckle's orders. He turned and looked at young crew for a moment. "Over yonder comes a ship what is faster than us and can stand away and shoot holes in us… that is, unless we can get all the sails on the Pendragon as fast as you can be. With a good wind at our backs, we be able to close the gap faster than the enemy wants us to. We have no choice but to fire on the enemy with our cannon. So remember your training and pay no attention to what be go'n on around you. Load and fire when I gives the command… are ya ready for a fight?" He held up his sword and the children cheered.