The man looked them over as he said, "Pirates you say?"
"Aye! Sailed with Edward Turnbuckle we did."
All the men in the opposite cell rush to the front bars as the one man said, "Turnbuckle says you?"
"Aye, Turnbuckle says I!" Buster Jack stood up and walked to the bars. "My shipmate and I been sailing with Turnbuckle the better part of a couple of months - since he escaped from here."
The man grinned revealing even less teeth that before, "Then he be alive?'
"Aye - in command of the Pendragon."
Another prisoner said, "We be hearing of the Pendragon - some sort of magical ship whats gots children onboard for a crew. Be you part of 'em?'
"Aye - the Crossbone Children! So you heard of us?"
The men erupted in loud voices each trying to be heard above their cell mates. Finally one man stepped to the front. He was taller and powerfully built with short blonde hair half hidden by his tricorn hat. "Is it true what they say - you can't be killed?"
Buster Jack smiled, "Aye, not while on the water, but on land we be just the same as you."
Again - commotion until the man demanded silence. "Names Mr. Scuppers - first mate on the Bridget - till Sir Duncan captured us. We thought Capt'n Turnbuckle had been killed trying to escape." He hesitated as he poked a finger at John. "What be your shipmate's name?"
John Henry stepped up to the bars and stood next to Buster Jack. "I'm John Henry."
"Heard of you too." Scuppers said. "We heard you were the leader of these pirate lads."
John smiled, "Not really. We elected Turnbuckle as Captain. You see, we rescued the other children from Sir Duncan Peck's plantation, commandeered the Sugar Cane. Captain Turnbuckle was wounded. So we took the ship and Captain Turnbuckle to our island where he recovered from his wounds. There we learned to be pirates and sail the ship! Peck captured us a few days ago, but the Pendragon and Capt'n Turnbuckle escaped." John added, "Weren't you condemned to hang with the captain?"
"Aye, but when he escaped, they held off from hang'n us. Don't know why but mighty glad they did." Mr. Scuppers turned to his companions, "See boys, I told you the capt'n wasn't dead. He will be coming for us 'afore long!"
"Us too if I'm any judge!" John said.
"Well, welcome - one crew to the other!" Mr. Scuppers yelled and clapped several companions on their shoulders.
————
When the Pendragon approached Crossbone Island, Ava stood on the bow and shouted the command to open the rock wall allowing the ship to enter the lagoon. The waterfall, the freshwater lake, the trees and huts all appeared as usual. The ship eased up to the dock and the crew neatly tied the cables to secure it. The crew walked down the plank, onto the dock and each member drifted away to whatever destination that suited them. Some went to their huts to rest - some to the lake for a swim or just to sit in the refreshing water to think. Of Scurvy Jones, no one had seen him since the Pendragon engaged the Bridget - not even his canvas bag was found
Much had taken place since they last stood on the island - they had killed and wounded many men - lost two of their leaders and now the treasure had to be given back to Sir Duncan Peck. The man they hated more than almost anything else in the in the world.
After eating, the sun sank below the western horizon, the children - as was their tradition - gathered around the large fire to talk or simply sit and stare at the mesmerizing flames. Captain Turnbuckle and Mr. Cumberbatch sat nursing a mug of rum each. Ava sat with the other girls and simply stared at the fire - few words were spoken.
"Enough of this sadness!" Captain Turnbuckle blurted out as he stood. "Here's what we be doing 'bout this situation."
Not a word was spoken as they turned their gaze from the fire to their captain. "Tomorrow, we take the treasure and sail for Jamaica. We drops a boat off shore… somewhere hidden and someone goes ashore and sends a note to Peck offer'n to exchange the treasure for the boys. Then we gives the treasure to 'im and take the boys with us."
Someone said, "But Peck is a lower than horse dung - he'll be keep'n both!"
Mr. Cumberbatch chimed in, "Aye, he will try, but we'll be ready for 'im. Right Capt'n?"
"Arrr, that be the truth. We'll be ready for any trick what comes our way!"
The children were not convinced. Someone within the dancing shadows of the fire said, "Mebbee we should take the treasure and find that fellow what runs the orphanage in America and forget this pirate business!" Several mumbled in agreement.
Indignant, Ava stood up. "Have you a forgotten where any of us would be if it were not for my brother and John?" No one said anything. "Half of us would be slaves in the sugar fields. The other half would be dead when your ship ran aground. It was John Henry and Buster Jack that saved us all!"
She drew her sword and held it up, "Who among you dare say we abandon them to Sir Duncan? Step forward…"
"Ere now lass… put that away! There be no fight'n amongst yourselves." Turnbuckle reached over and put his hand on Ava's wrist - lowering the sword. "Pirates do not fight amongst themselves. We go on and do what must be done to free our shipmates." He looked around, the reflection from the flames danced across his face. "I be your capt'n - I say what we do - trade the treasure for the boys. That be an end to it!" He looked around for a challenge but when none came he said, "Now, best be off to bed - all of yah!"
Without hesitation, the gathering broke up. Cumberbatch and Turnbuckle were the last ones by the fire. "If'n I did not know yah, I'd think you was me papa!" Cumberbatch whispered to Turnbuckle.
"Aye and if I didn't know me, methinks I was their papa too!" They banged their mugs together and downed the last drop of the rum. They wobbled their way back to their hut to find a fresh keg.
From around the rock wall, a dark, wet figure emerged from the ocean carrying a canvas bag. Scurvy Jones walked quickly to his hut so as not to be seen by the others. He entered his dwelling and struck a light in the lantern. He rummaged through his belongings until he found his chart of Jamaica and its coastline. In the dim light, he stood over the chart until he found what he was looking for.
Early the next morning as the children emerged from their hut to forage for their breakfast, Scurvy Jones entered Turnbuckle's and Cumberbatch's hut. He had to shake the men awake. "Awake with yah - Scurvy's found away!"
Cumberbatch forced the sleep from his eyes. "Where the devil have you been? We looked all over the ship yesterday."
"Scurvy had to find a way - and a way be found!"
"By thunder, what 're yah saying?"
"Master Henry and the other one - Jack." Scurvy fumbled with the names.
"Well, what about them?" insisted Cumberbatch.
"They be in Spanish Town prisoners with your old crew. Scurvy knows…" He laid a finger against his nose.
Cumberbatch sat up, "You disappear from the ship, you disappear from this island and you reappear with information no man could know - how's that to be?"
"Scurvy knows ways of magic - voodoo man tell me long time ago. Go from place to place I can - slip in and out of places to do - boys in Spanish Town prison with old crew."
Now Turnbuckle sat up, "Meaning me old crew? They still be in prison - not hanged?"
"No, alive they be!"
Turnbuckle sat in his cot rubbing the sleep from his eyes and mind. Too much rum last night for the both of them, yet something made sense in the babblings of this strange scarecrow of a man. "If the boys be among my crew, they will tell them about me…" He swung his legs out of the cot and stood up. "… they will know I be alive - then there be a chance to rescue them too by thunder!"
Scurvy continued, "Governor gone. Peck be in charge until he returns. Peck has large Achilles now. Much cannon on that one!"
Turnbuckle interpreted for both of them. "The governor is temporarily gone and Peck be acting governor. He has a king's ship at his command, the Achilles!"
Cumberbatch stood up as well. "Aye, the Achilles - a frigate with 28 guns!"
&
nbsp; With that information, the three of them walked out of the hut and headed toward the Pendragon to consult the charts and maps of the area. Ava saw them board the ship and ran after them to find out what was going on. They told her what Scurvy had discovered. She cocked her head and looked at Scurvy as if she did not know him. There was something very strange about this little man. Never around when going into a fight, but either right before or right after, he appeared to offer some new information about the enemy. Still, he had kind gentle blue eyes that made everyone trust and even love this boney man. The years he was alone on this island and the hardships he must have endured made everyone respect him, even if they thought he was just a little mad. Perhaps, she thought, in this hot climate of the Caribbean, it takes a man who is half mad to survive.
After a few hours planning their next move they resupplied the stores and prepared to go to sea once more. They would leave just before sundown and make their way to Port Royal.
Chapter 26
The Arrangements
The Pendragon made a slow and easy approach under cover of darkness in order to allow Mr. Cumberbatch and Ava to row the jolly boat ashore. Ava had written the letter proposing a swap - gold for the boys. The letter stipulated that no more than four guards were to accompany Peck's party. The treasure chests would be loaded in another boat and beached. A second boat would contain four crew members from the Pendragon which would take the boys back to the ship when the exchange was completed. The plan was simple and straight forward given that everyone concerned would do as expected. The time was to be midnight the next day. The place, Bull Bay, a convenient bay east of Port Royal.
In the dark, Ava and Cumberbatch walked to Port Royal and went to the Green Flash Tavern. They decided to play the part of father and daughter and would pose as fishermen. Cumberbatch would have a drink or two with his old friend Fulke Olingworth and see what he could find out. Ava was to wait outside and pretend to be disinterested in any other proceedings.
"You stay outside, Lass, but don't give the impression you're a… working girl, if you catch me drift."
"I understand father, I'm not ignorant about those ways." She smiled and found a place nearby that was hidden by palm trees.
Cumberbatch entered the tavern and saw his friend standing next to a table talking to two customers. "Mr. Olingworth!"
Olingworth looked up expecting to see some regular customer vying for a free tankard of rum, but when he saw Cumberbatch, his demeanor changed. Without saying a word, he motioned Cumberbatch to the rear table where they had sat drinking that night — a long time ago it seemed.
Olingworth signaled his assistant to bring rum to the table and the two men sat down.
"You stirred up a hornet's nest, Alex!"
"Aye, suppose we did at that - couldn't be helped though." Cumberbatch whispered. "Them poor devils were slaves - eight and nine years old they be. Couldn't just leave 'em."
The tavern assistant brought two tankards of rum, set them down on the table and left without a word. The two men toasted each other's health. "Why'd you come back here?" asked Olingworth.
Before answering his friend, Cumberbatch leaned forward so no one else would hear him, "We got into a scrap with three of Peck's ships. The two boys you met when last we were here were captured."
Olingworth smiled, "You forgot to mention you be fond of them as well!"
"Aye, I be fond of all of 'em. Right now one of the boys' sister be outside waiting for me. We needs to plan how we get them back." Cumberbatch reached into his waist coat and produced a sealed envelope. "We need some trustworthy beggar to deliver this letter to Sir Duncan." He also pulled out a few coins, "This be payment for whoever does it - we needs to know it got there."
Olingworth ran his rough hands through his hair grey hair - thinking. Then, "I knows just the sort, alocal boy. He be trustworthy right enough. What's in the letter?"
Cumberbatch did not answer. "Private matter, my friend. Mind you, it's not that I don't trust ya, just be cautious, is all."
Olingworth mumbled as he took the letter and coins from Cumberbatch. "I wouldn't trust me neither!"
Outside, Ava crouched down so as not to be seen. She watched as some men walked or stumbled from place-to-place, most with a drink of something or other in their fists. What made men drink so much, she wondered. It made no sense to her. From what she had observed her whole life - it made them quite stupid!
She saw two younger boys walking down the street - they looked familiar to her. The eerie lamplight nearby cast deep shadows on the street and she could not quite make out who they were. The passed from shadow to dull light and now she recognized them.
She jumped out of her hiding place. "Hugh and Ralph - might have known you two loathsome creatures would be out and about the taverns."
The two boys were startled and almost fled but when they saw someone wearing a dress, they had no fear. When they recognized Ava the fear returned. Ralph was the first to speak. "Ava - wot you doing 'ere?'
She came closer so they could see her face. "Traitor!" she spat out.
"We're so sorry, Ava - please forgive us!" It was Hugh.
She opened her cape and grabbed the hilt of her sword, "I ought to run your through where you stand!" She drew the sword and raised it ready to strike. The two boys dropped on their knees.
"Please - we didn't know - didn't realize what Peck would do." Ralph was almost crying.
Ava paused as she said, "Let me guess, you thought Peck would reward you with money - well did he?" she demanded.
Ashamed, Hugh said, "No - our freedom from the cane fields is wot we got."
"And that was too much - serves you right for betraying the Children!" She slowly lowered her sword.
Penitent, Hugh looked up and with pleading eyes said, "You're here to free Buster Jack and John - we want to help."
Her eyes narrowed, "Even so - why would I trust you? You did it once - you'll do it again!"
Hugh blurted out, "No - we swears it! No more - we want to come back to Crossbone Island and live with the crew. We made a mistake - a bad one by all accounts. We wants to make it right." When Ava didn't say anything he continued. "We knows now they be the only family we ever had. Life on the streets in London made us - different! When we lived on the island and fought them ships, we belonged to something different, a family. Bu wet didn't see it until we caused this to happen."
Ava considered it for a moment. She looked at each of their faces. They looked humbled enough - contrite in what they had done. Perhaps they did deserve another chance. She would leave it up to Mr. Cumberbatch.
About that time, Mr. Cumberbatch and his friend appeared at the door of the tavern and stood looking at Ava and the two boys. Another person was with them as well - a black boy - native to Jamaica it would seem.
Cumberbatch recognized who the two boys with Ava. "What the devil are you two doing here?" He stepped down to confront them - Ava stepped between them.
"We've been discussing exactly that, Mr. Cumberbatch. It would appear they want to help."
Cumberbatch said too loudly, "Help? Did enough help if you ask me!"
"We know Mr. Cumberbatch. Wot we did was wrong. We knows that now. We want to help free John and Jack. Please believe us."
Ralph squeaked, "Please forgive us."
Cumberbatch considered them for a moment, then laid his hand on the butt of the pistol tucked in his broad leather belt, "You stay with us - we'll see, but make one false move and I'll finish you off no matter what, Savvy?" The boys nodded. "As forgiving you, you'll have to square that with John and Jack."
To Ava he said, "This be my friend Fulke Olingworth. He's agreed to help us. And this young lad be Odis Ironpool.
To Ava, Fulke Olingworth was the same as all the men she had seen on this island, but Odis was different, so different she could hardly take her eyes off him. Odis Ironpool was a local native boy of perhaps eighteen years old, tall slender with his hair was worn in dreadlock fashion that looked as
though a spider was sitting atop his head. Odis was shirtless revealing his muscular frame. He stood on the step looking down at her and smiled - bright white teeth and black eyes. He wore dark breaches and no shoes. In his hand, he carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. Strange - such an old weapon - what could it be used for.
She did not realize that Mr. Cumberbatch was still talking. "…he will deliver our letter to Peck."
She tried to smile and speak at the same time, "Ah… yes… that is - that is very good of Mr. Ironpool."
Odis stepped down and spoke. "Not at all, we all hate Sir Duncan. So you see we can help each other." His accent was of the islands - Ava felt as though she could not breathe.
"Good!" She smiled, "Then can we count you as a friend?" she had a difficult time forming her words.
"Yes - Ava." When he spoke her name, her knees became weak.
"Off you go then, Lad. Make sure Peck gets the letter. Then come back here and we'll talk some more - your plans for the prison are interesting." Cumberbatch instructed.
Odis bowed to Ava and smiled but kept his eyes on her face. She watched him walk away. A smile appeared on her face which she quickly wiped away before anyone could see how stupid she looked. She turned her attention back to Mr. Cumberbatch. "What do we do now?' She asked.
————
Sir Duncan Peck received the letter from his servant Thursby, who placed it in his hand. Standing in the room with a glass of sherry were two other men, Captain Doddle and Mr. Thaddeus, the head overseer of the plantation. All three were expecting a note of some kind.
"Who delivered it Thursby?" Peck asked.
"Local native boy, Sir." Thursby stood resolute and straight as he waited further instructions.
Peck dismissed him, "That will be all… for now." Thursby bowed stiffly and retired from the room, closing the doors after him.
Peck turned the envelope over in his hands - no markings or address. "They were very quick. I told you Turnbuckle would know what to do." Both men nodded. Peck slowly opened the letter reading the contents aloud. The letter looked as though it was written in a woman's hand, letters nice and even - easy to read and understand. "So,…" Peck hesitated. "…They are willing to give up my treasure for the two boys. This is all too easy!" he smiled.
Crossbone Children and the Orphans of Avalon Page 24