During the voyage, the crew held daily training with the sword, pistol and muskets. They exercised the guns by throwing empty barrels overboard and used them as targets.
One afternoon, John and Buster Jack were standing by the capstan as Sydney and Tristy walked by. They heard Sydney say, "Aye, but we be at sea now. Them others won't find us." To which Tristy responded, "Arrr that be the truth of it!" John and Jack laughed, but the girls didn't notice, they just kept walking and going about their duties.
"Spoken like true pirates!" Buster Jack said.
Since they had spent some time among pirates and other assorted sailors, their language and manner of speech changed… lots of pirate slang and descriptions. If they were going to be branded as pirates, and dress like pirates, they might as well talk like pirates too.
The voice of the lookout came floating down, "Sail off the starboard bow!"
Captain Turnbuckle and Mr. Cumberbatch grabbed their telescopes and rushed down to the starboard bow and scanned the horizon and located the ship. Turnbuckle yelled up at the lookout, "What colors?"
"No colors, sir!" Came the reply.
"Pirate?" asked Captain Turnbuckle
"Dunno, but on this tack we'll find out in an hour or so." Cumberbatch remarked.
The lookout further reported, "Ship appears to be in trouble, I can hear gun fire!"
All activity on deck ceased as everyone listened for the sound of battle. "Aye," Captain Turnbuckle cocked his head, "I hears it too."
Turnbuckle yelled up to the lookout, "Can yah see what they be firing at?"
"No sir…" the lookout paused, "…appears they be shooting down in the water at close range. Can't make out what they be firing at though!"
Captain Turnbuckle yelled back to the helm, "Steady as she goes" The two men walked briskly back to the quarter deck. The crew watched them, wondering if they would be involved in a sea fight again. Most did not want to, but if necessary they were willing.
Captain Turnbuckle checked the ship's compass then ordered the crew to beat to quarters and prepare for battle. The galley fire was doused to minimize the possibility of a fire on the ship. Sand was spread on the deck to help with their footing, life boats secured and all other preparations were made. The gun crews stood by for the order to load and run out. The topmen took their places, ready to act on the orders from the captain.
Turnbuckle and Cumberbatch continuously watched the unknown ship through their telescopes, finally Cumberbatch said, "Aye, thought she looked familiar! T'is the Revenge. Calico Jack's ship." He smiled. "Been a long time since I seen 'im."
Captain Turnbuckle rubbed his chin as he thought. "John Rackham eh?"
"Aye and his two special first mates as I recalls." Cumberbatch smiled.
Buster Jack quietly asked John, "Who be Calico Jack?"
"He's a pirate. His real name is John Rackham. Everyone calls him Calico Jack 'cause of the calico colored clothes he wears."
"Did you meet him before?"
"No, just heard of him when we were in these waters." John replied.
All at once Scurvy Jones appeared on the deck from somewhere below, "Lusca! Lusca!" he shouted.
Cumberbatch lowered his telescope, "What's all this? Lusca says you?"
"See… see, the Lusca comes for thee!" Scurvy pointed across to Rackham's ship.
"What's Lusca?" Buster Jack shouted to Cumberbatch.
"Half squid— half shark! Must be from the caves off the island of Andros." Andros Island was just ten miles from their present location and appeared as a dappled gray hump in the distance.
Turnbuckle, hurried over to the side, grabbed hold of the ratline and swung up and over and climbed half way up before wrapping his foot around the lines to steady himself, opened his telescope. Indeed, they were fighting something in the water. The ship's crew was firing muskets and pistols at something in the water, yet he could not see what it was. Just as he was about to climb back down, he saw something that made his skin crawl!
A huge tentacle came slithering up the side of the ship seeking a victim to be pulled down into the water to be drowned or eaten by the monster. As he watched, another and then another slimy arm came straight out of the water and embraced the ship. "Scurvy be right!" Captain Turnbuckle came down the ratline and hit the deck with a thud, "A Lusca by thunder! She be wrapping her arms around Rackham's ship. They can't bring their cannon to bear on the beast!"
The Pendragon was now close enough for everyone to see the monster's long tentacles reaching up and around the sides of the ship. A few of the girls on deck let out a scream but were quickly silenced by their friends. Scurvy Jones stood there pointing as the Rackham's ship which began to roll back and forth. The beast was trying to capsize the vessel.
Captain Turnbuckle hollered at Cumberbatch, "Lay a course to get near the ship but not too close yah see. We'll stand off and pound that bugger into submission!"
"Aye, Capt'n." Cumberbatch spun the wheel. The Pendragon heeled over ever so slightly and bore down on the ship.
"Hoist the colors so Rackham don't think we mean him harm!" Turnbuckle ordered. He studied the situation before he also ordered, "Load and run out the starboard bat'ry, we'll pass by and fire a broadside, so fully depress them cannon so's you can hit that slimy fiend." Captain Turnbuckle was pacing the deck as he barked out his commands, "Then prepare to come about and we'll rake 'em again with the larboard bat'ry! You topmen, get your muskets; go aloft and prepare to fire on the beast. Swivels… standby to fire at my command!"
The crew scrambled to complete the Captain's orders. Ava took up her position as before and supervised the loading of both batteries. The topmen retrieved their musket, powder and shot then raced to the positions in the shrouds and rigging. The entire crew acted without thought or question. They had practiced all of these commands before and were ready to do as ordered.
The Pendragon came closer and closer. The other ship was rocking back and forth in a violent motion. Several ropes and lines parted with a crack and rained down on the crew as they continued to fight off the sea monster. Several of the crew was thrown overboard and one sailor was seized by one of the tentacles of the Lusca and pulled down into the water, screaming as as he went.
Captain Turnbuckle carefully watched their approach, "Mr. Cumberbatch, lay a parallel course if you please. Standby to fire! He shouted as he held up his sword.
When they were exactly opposite the other ship, Turnbuckle dropped his sword with a swish and the cannons lunged back wildly as they unleashed their fury on the Lusca. Both swivels on the starboard side unleashed their loads on the monster. Adding to the din of battle, the topside muskets fired at the exposed arms of the Lusca that lay across the side of the ship. The crew of the Pendragon could hear cheering on board the other ship as they realized help was here.
"Standby to come about…" Captain Turnbuckle gauged the moment. "Come about!" he ordered. Cumberbatch swung the wheel of the ship, the top men raced to help adjust the sails to the new tack. It seemed to take forever for the ship to come about on the opposite tack and head back alongside the other ship.
As the Pendragon completed the turn, a gasp erupted from the crew. Cumberbatch pointed at Rackham's ship and shouted, "The Lusca has come out of the water!"
Captain Turnbuckle laughed "By thunder, you be right. Now we have someth'n to shoot at!" He walked quickly to the larboard side. "No broadside this time mateys…standby the larboard bat'ry. Fire as you bear!" In his excitement he bellowed, "An extra ration of rum for the gun crew what hits 'im!" Then Captain Turnbuckle remembered his crew were children and amended his reward. He smiled as he said, "Ah… An extra… Something, I mean… Arrr!"
Again he waited for the precise moment then sliced through the air with his sword. "As you bear!" As each of the five cannon passed the exposed body of the Lusca, the slow match was held to the vent hole and the cannon belched its cannonball towards the beast but few of them actually hit their mark. They could see the long tentacles a
ttached to the body of a large shark. The mouth of the beast opened wide revealing large, sharp, jagged teeth that looked like it could rip holes the size of a man in any ship. Even though the beast was wounded, it did not slow down its goal of bringing the ship down.
It looked as though all was lost, the Lusca was too much for both ships. Then a shadow passed over both vessels blotting out the sun for a moment. Everyone heard the sound of a mighty roar. The flying Griffin, the one the children had seen during their first battle, came swooping down with its huge lion-like claws and snatched the Lusca's entire body out of the water. Before the sea monster could react, the Griffin crushed the body with its claws, climbed higher in the sky and dropped the dead lifeless monster into the sea. The Lusca's body hit the ocean surface, making a tremendous splash. As it sank beneath the surface it rolled over on its side and floated for just a few moments showing its gray lifeless eyes. Then disappeared beneath the surface of the water followed by a thick trail of blood oozing from it's many wounds .
The Griffin circled overhead and made one more pass over the Pendragon. John waved at it as if to say, 'Thanks'. The creature flew off towards the horizon leaving both ship's crews bewildered at the turn of events.
Chapter 22
Traitors
John Rackham, known to some as Calico Jack, grabbed his hailing trumpet and shouted over at the Pendragon, "Don't recognize your flag, who's in command?"
Captain Edward Turnbuckle stepped out into the sunlight and yelled back, "Edward Turnbuckle at your service John Rackham!"
"Aye… Edward, come along side if you've a mind to."
Turnbuckle hollered back, "Don't mind if we do, Matey!"
The Pendragon sidled up close to Revenge and the two crews threw out grappling hooks and pulled the two ships together in a friendly embrace. As the crew of the Revenge eyed the crew of the Pendragon and only saw children, they were taken aback!
They didn't speak or move, just stood and watched as the children tied off the lines and secured their guns. They watched as the top men… boys… came sliding down the backstays and landed on the deck. Ava and her gun crews stood by their instruments of destruction and secured their cannon. Each child was armed with either a sword or boarding axe. Most carried a pistol or two in their belts.
Captain Turnbuckle walked over to the railing and said, "This here ship be the Pendragon and this be my crew!"
John Rackham, a young man of good looks, dressed in a calico waist coat and dark breeches stepped over to greet Turnbuckle. "Good to see yah, Edward." On either side of Rackham stood two women, both dressed in men's clothing, hair blowing in the wind, no hat but each were armed with a sword and a brace of pistols tucked into their belts.
Calico Jack shouted, "Say… what you do'n with children as a crew? Don't tell me it was them that did for that monster."
Turnbuckle smiled, "Aye, they be the ones sure enough, Jack. Any complaints?"
Calico Jack laughed and stretched over the two railings of the ships. "No, ne'r a one! You came in good time today. That half-squid shark had us for sure." He took Captain Turnbuckle's hand. "Come aboard if yah like… all of yah, and let us thank yah properly for sav'n us!
Turnbuckle climbed over the railings and greeted the two women, "Well… I'll be a squid meself… if it ain't Mary Read and Anne Bonny, looking lovely as usual."
These two women were legends within the pirate world. Anne Bonny had run away from her husband in America and fell in love with John Rackham and together they began their trade of pirating among the Caribbean. Mary Read dressed like a man, was a crew member of a ship taken by Calico Jack and Anne. They persuaded this man to join their crew and later, Calico found out the man was really a woman named Mary Read. Their fame spread far and wide in Caribbean… John Rackham and his two female pirate companions!
The women smiled and threw their arms around Edward Turnbuckle and smothered him with hugs and kisses. Anne squealed, "Tis good to see yah, Edward. But didn't know you were tending children. Tis it so hard to find a crew these days?"
Mary joined in, "Aye, Edward. They be getting younger all the time it seems!"
"Now, don't you fret none about their ages," Turnbuckle grinned, "just you wait till I tells yah what they can do. You already be seeing for yourself some of their skills!"
Captain Turnbuckle briefly explained about their ability and about St. Elmo's Fire, to which they did not believe until he called for young Fynn. "Fynn, come here me boy. There's them what wants to see your special ability!"
Fynn stepped forward, closed his eyes and grimaced, "Ok capt'n, go ahead."
Turnbuckle drew out his pistol, aimed and shot Fynn in the middle of his chest. Those behind Fynn caught him as he went down. When they stood him back on his feet, he opened his eyes and smiled at everyone on the Revenge as they gasped at what they thought was a murder of a child. "Arrr, see what I means by special ability?"
Calico whistled, "That is special all right! Immortal?"
"Not exactly, Jack. They be only immortal while on the water. On land, they be just the same as you and me."
Calico Jack shook his head and smiled, To his own crew, he said, "We bid welcome to the crew of the Pendragon. They saved us this day!" His crew cheered wildly, grateful to be alive.
For several hours, the crews of both ships mingled and talked about the fight with the Lusca. The Kingston lost three of their crew to the beast, but other than a few gashes in the ship's hull and broken rigging, their ship was none the worse for the encounter. Ava and the other girls were a welcome sight to Mary and Anne, who doted over them like mother hens.
The adult members of the crews toasted a few tankards of rum. The children drank a few cups of ginger beer. A good time was had by both crews, even though the adult crew from Revenge and the young crew from Pendragon didn't really have anything in common until the talk turned to the battle against Peck's two ships and the mauling they took. The Revenge's crew sat mesmerized as Captain Turnbuckle recounted the action. The adults were very impressed and immediately looked upon the children with admiration.
The sun was going down in the western sky and the hour was late. It was decided to stay tied together and in the morning they would part ways. Before each crew retired to their own ship, Calico Jack informed Turnbuckle and Cumberbatch they had just visited New Providence and that Doddle had been there, but had sailed back to Port Royal when another of Peck's ships showed up - both ships up anchor and sailed within the hour.
Cumberbatch said between puffs on his long clay pipe, "Don't bode well for us."
"Aye!" Turnbuckle mumbled as he considered another tankard of rum before going to his bunk.
Calico Jack asked, "What're yah gonna do, Edward?"
Turnbuckle held his tankard and swirled it, watching the liquid go around and around inside. "We be heading back to our base, I suspect. With two of our crew crossing over to Peck's side, I be bet'n they gives up the bearings to our island."
"Anything special about your island?" Calico asked.
Cumberbatch spoke up, "Not really. Just a place we calls home and we hid a few trinkets we took off them two ships we defeated. Just the normal pirate booty!"
Calico Jack was not buying it. "You've never been a good liar, Alex. You got something there Sir Duncan wants bad. Doddle was all over New Providence ask'n questions."
Cumberbatch started to say something but Calico held up his hand, "It don't matter to me what you got there. I'd never take from a fellow pirate unless we was in league together, but we ain't in league. Savvy! You be on your own and we be on our own."
Captain Turnbuckle could hardly hold his head up as he cried out, "Aye… to freedom on the seas!"
Calico and Cumberbatch clinked their tankards together, "Aye… to freedom on the seas!"
————
Sir Duncan Peck sat listening to the two defectors from the Pendragon. Hugh Skipwith stood before Sir Duncan Peck, his hat in his hand and Ralph Bardolf stood behind Hugh as if he wanted to
be shielded from the piercing glance of Peck. Captain Doddle and another guard stood behind the boys, blocking their way out of the door.
"…You see. Sir, we had a spell cast on us. We can't be killed by sword or pistol while on the water. But on land, we're just like anyone else. That's why we defeated those two ships and were able to take the treasure."
Sir Duncan sat behind his desk in his plantation home while listening to the boy. He wanted to learn all he could about how they managed to steel one of his ships, sail away, go to the island where the bulk of his treasure was buried, take the treasure then disappear to parts unknown. "But you have a base… and island where you make berth?"
"Y…Yes, Sir. We calls it Crossbone Island. You see, Sir, it's sort of magical. We have everything we need… food, water, shelter and we be safe from other ships. They can't get into our lagoon."
"Why not?"
Hugh smiled and winced because he knew what he was about to say would sound impossible. "Sir, there is a magic rock wall what opens and closes when the secret words are spoke."
Peck sat up not believing what he just heard, "And what are… the secret words?"
Shifting from one barefoot to the next, Hugh confessed, "I dunno, Sir. Only a couple of us knows it and we not be one of 'em."
Peck stood up and walked around the desk and stood in front of the boys. "Do you know the bearings to this… magic island?"
"N…no, Sir. We don't know how to read the charts."
Peck shook his head. "Then you were very stupid to come here. You have been branded as pirates and as such, you are to be hanged according to the law. So tell me why I shouldn't turn you over to the authorities to be tried and hanged?"
Hugh licked his lips in nervous anticipation. "Even though we don't know the location, mebbe we have enough information that will help you be finding it. But…"
"But what?" Peck shouted. He was losing patients with these boys.
Crossbone Children and the Orphans of Avalon Page 21