Skull and Bones

by John Drake

  "Will they do, John? And have you chosen your course?"

  Silver reached up to pet the big green parrot that sat with its claws clamped into the material of his coat.

  "What do you think, Cap'n Flint?" he said, tickling the bird's chest. She squawked and shifted her feet and nuzzled his ear.

  "Merry Buggers!" she said, for she had a perfect gift of mimicry, and used words to purpose, and with meaning.

  Long John sighed, for he had much on his mind.

  "Well, the ship won't do," he said, looking Walrus over. She was a New England schooner: two hundred tons burden, a hundred feet from bow to stern, sharp-hulled and with a broad spread of canvas on two raked masts. She mounted fourteen six-pounder guns and had once been a swift, handy ship, but she'd suffered a battering in recent actions, and hadn't been careened for months, which meant - in these tropical waters - that the underwater hull must be a seething tangle of weeds and growth.

  "A Thames barge would out-sail her as she is!" said Silver.

  "Does that mean we'll be chasing one?" said Israel Hands.

  "We've just thirty-two hands," said Silver, ignoring the remark.

  "Gentlemen o' fortune every one!" said Israel Hands.

  "Mostly… but them two ain't! Useless bloody lubbers!"

  Silver nodded at a pair of men who were sitting miserably apart from the crew. They wore long coats and were the ship's navigating officers - such as they were - for neither Silver nor anyone else aboard had that skill. The pair of them had been taken out of the merchant service under Silver's promise to be freed at Upper Barbados - Walrus's destination - for they were honest men. Honest, but found wanting. They might be able to feel their way up a coastline, but they were at a loss on the deep waters, and growing more nervous each day.

  "Them swabs has only got this far by dead reckoning and fair weather!" said Silver. "One good blow, and we'll be off their charts. Then God help us all!"

  "Never mind them," said Israel Hands. "We'll hire afresh and take on others, too." He looked sideways at Long John and decided to broach the great question: "What worries me, John, is that thirty-three hands is plenty for a merchantman, but not for such business as ours."

  Silver, however, wouldn't be drawn. He shook his head and fell deep into his own thoughts. He'd never wanted to be a pirate - a "gentleman o' fortune" - but had become one because it was that or certain death. And thus by easy stages to robbery and murder, and putting a pistol ball into a child - which, of all the things he'd done, came back most often to flog him with guilt, though he'd done it of necessity, to stop the spread of island smallpox. Even now he could feel the jump of his pistol firing and see the open-mouthed disbelief on the face of Ratty Richards, ship's boy, as he dropped down dead; slaughtered by the captain he worshipped.

  And now he had a wife whom he loved fiercely, and who'd made clear that she'd not live with him unless he became an honest man. Or so she said… But did she mean it? She loved him; he knew that much. Or so he thought.

  So… there was what the crew wanted, which was prizes, gold, tarts and rum. There was what she wanted, which was an honest life for Mr and Mrs Silver. And then there was what he wanted… which he didn't know, and couldn't decide because he couldn't live without her and maybe couldn't live with her. The bitter internal conflict was turning him sour and angry.

  "John," said Israel Hands and nudged him, "it's her…"

  Silver turned. She'd come up from below decks without him even seeing. Now she stood with her hands on her hips facing him. She was a small, slim, black girl, not yet eighteen years old, extremely lovely in face and figure, with a dainty elegance of movement, and of speech and manners too. She stood in a cotton gown and a straw hat, looking up at Silver and defying him.

  "Well?" she said, but he avoided her eyes and said nothing. "Huh!" she said, investing the simple sound with eloquence.

  All hands were watching. They shifted and muttered and a few got up for a better look. These arguments had gone on for days, and now Silver roused himself and tried to speak gentle. He tried to explain. So did she, for a while, but soon they were shouting and screeching, with fists clenched and words spat viciously, as tempers burst and fury rose in the passionate rage of a man and woman for whom no one else in the whole wide world mattered quite so much as the other.

  As for the spectators, they shrugged their shoulders and scratched their armpits and turned away, no longer entertained by a piece of theatre that had been played out flat. They thought Silver should put the rod across her plump little arse till she saw reason. But that was his business and they'd chosen him as their leader, so there weren't no more to be said in the matter. Selena was his wife and that was that.

  But later, the ship's surgeon, Mr Cowdray, was forced to join the quarrel. The only gentleman in the ship, he'd practised in London till learned rivals drove him out for his ludicrous insistence on boiling his instruments before surgery, which he said prevented sepsis, and which they couldn't abide because it did. Selena liked Cowdray and valued his opinion, and thus she'd asked him to meet her on the forecastle after dark.

  "What do you want, girl? Bringing me here?" he looked back down the dark length of the ship, past masts and bulging sails, and hung on to the rail against the ship's motion, flinching as spray came over the plunging bow.

  "It's wide open here," she said, "so nobody can say you're meeting me in secret."

  "And why should I do that?" he said.

  She shrugged. She'd seen how he looked at her. He might be a surgeon, but he was a man, even if he was middle-aged.

  "You can always say you were going to use the heads," she said.

  "Huh!" said Cowdray, looking at the "seats of ease" on either side of the bowsprit: a pair of squat boxes with holes cut in them for seamen to relieve themselves. "So what is it?" he said.

  "Why won't he give up being a pirate?"

  "He's not a pirate, he's a gentleman of fortune."

  "It's the same thing."

  "No! We sign the Book of Articles and every man votes. It is the democracy of the Greeks."

  "Articles! He talks about them all the time, and he -"

  "Selena, listen to me."

  "But he does."

  "Please, please, listen. I can't be him. I can't speak for him."

  "So who do you speak for?"

  "For the crew! It's a good life for them. Equal shares and light work. Merchant owners save money with small crews that must rupture themselves to work the ship, while we have many hands to ease the load. And we sail in soft waters: the Caribbean, the Gold Coast, the Indian Ocean… You should try the whale fisheries, my girl, up beyond Newfoundland! The ice hangs from the rigging and the lookouts are found frozen dead when the watch changes. And with us, there's no flogging the last man up the mast nor the last to trice his hammock as the navy does, and there's music and drink when you want it, and the chance to get rich -"

  "By thieving and killing!"

  "In which regard we're no worse than the king's ships, that kill men and take prizes!"

  "But that's war."

  "Dulce bellum inexpertis: war is sweet to those who don't know it!"

  "Bah!" she said, striding off and leaving him in the dark. Him and his annoying habit of spouting Latin.

  So the matter was not resolved, and Silver and Selena lived apart in the ship and couldn't meet without a quarrel. And Silver became bad tempered, and not the man he had been. And that was bad… but worse was to come.

  * * *

  Chapter 4

  Half an hour before sunset

  12th March 1753

  Aboard Oraclaesus's longboat

  The southern anchorage

  Flint's Island

  Boom! A signal gun blew white powder smoke from Oraclaesus's quarterdeck, and echoed across the still waters. It was the signal for boats to give up for the day and return to their ships.

  "Thank God!" said Mr Midshipman Povey to himself, and "Hold water!" he bellowed at the boat's crew. At l
east he tried to bellow, but his throat was sore and his head ached, and he hadn't the strength.

  Twenty sweat-soaked men collapsed over their oars, shafts stabbing raggedly in all directions, crossing and clattering in a disgraceful fashion that should have earned a blistering rebuke from the coxswain. But he was preoccupied with scratching the blotches on his face and barely hanging on to the tiller, he was so dizzy.

  "Bloody shambles," mumbled Povey. He looked across the anchorage in the dimming light, taking in the idly swirling boats and ships, and the voices everywhere raised in bickering argument. There was no wind in the anchorage, so the squadron was kedging out: each ship launching its best boat, a light anchor slung beneath, waiting until the smaller vessel had pulled ahead and dropped anchor before manning the capstan to haul on the anchor cable, thereby laboriously drawing the ship forward. Then up anchor and do it again! Then again and again till the sails should feel the wind of the open sea.

  The drill was simple. It was heavy work needing no unusual talent. The squadron should have been out of the anchorage and under way in a few hours. But they weren't. Everything had gone wrong: cables fouled, oar stroke lost, tempers gone and men falling exhausted at their duties who couldn't be roused, not even with a rope's end.

  It was the island fever. The enemy that they were trying to escape was already among them! Povey grinned stupidly, thick-headedly. It was just like those dreams where you were desperate to run but couldn't because your legs were made of lead. The fever was doing its utmost to keep them on the island.

  "Cast off hawser!" said Povey, and the hands made clumsy shift to loose the heavy rope by which the anchor was suspended beneath the boat. The boat wallowed heavily as the great load was shed, and the anchor went down to the bottom; they'd find it easily enough tomorrow by following the cable. "Back larboard, pull starboard!" said Povey, and the longboat turned in the water. "Give way!" he commanded, and they began pulling for their food and their grog, and a few hours' sleep. That should have cheered them up, but it didn't. Povey looked down the banks of oarsmen, most of whom were sweating heavily even though it was cool evening. Some - like the coxswain - were coming out in a rash.

  Bounder and Jumper were likewise recovering their boats and dropping their main anchors to moor for the night, as was the flagship. Povey sighed at the thought of all the heavy labour of weighing that would have to be performed again in the morning. But by this time they were bumping against the high oaken side of Oraclaesus and he was ordering "Toss Oars!" - the hands making a dog's breakfast of this simple command - and himself about to go first out of the boat and up the ship's side… when the officer of the watch leaned over the rail and called down to him.

  "Mr Povey!"

  "Aye-aye, sir?"

  "I'd be obliged if you'd take the longboat and bring aboard the person who is calling from the shore."

  "Sir? What person, sir?"

  The officer of the watch frowned. He was feeling unwell and in no mood for explanations. "Obey your bloody orders and be damned, Mr Povey - and don't answer back!"

  "Aye-aye, sir!"

  Povey sank down into the longboat, almost in tears. He'd not realised how tired he was and how much he wanted to be out of the boat and into his bed. The crew obviously felt the same. They were moaning and snivelling.

  "Oh, bloody-well-bugger the lot of you," said Povey. "And pull for the bloody shore."

  Once they came round the ship, which happened to be between the longboat and the beach, Povey could make out the dark little dot of a figure outlined against the white sands of the beach, and he could hear a wailing cry coming over the still water. He'd not noticed it before, not with so many others shouting and the sick nausea rising in his belly again.

  "Uuurgh!" Povey retched over the side, bringing up nothing and wrenching the muscles of his stomach. He dipped a hand in the water and splashed it over his face. The crew stared as they swayed to their oars. Some of them felt as bad as Povey.

  "What are you bloody sods looking at?" he snarled. "Bend your bloody backs!"

  The forlorn figure on the beach grew and took shape in the twilight. It was a man kneeling right on the water's edge, with hands raised over his head. He moaned and wept and offered up prayers as, finally, the big boat ground ashore and Povey jumped out - and was astonished to be recognised.

  "Mr Povey, sir! God bless and save you, sir, for it is Mr Povey, ain't it now?"

  "Damn my blasted eyes," said Povey. "It's Ben Gunn!"

  Memories flooded in. Bad memories of HMS Elizabeth - the vessel which had first brought Povey to this poisonous island - and Flint's mutiny, which had resulted in the death of her captain and loyal officers.

  "Ben Gunn," said Povey in amazement, peering at the bedraggled figure with its straw-like hair, deep-lined, deep- tanned face, barefoot raggedness - and the wide, staring eyes of a madman. A madman who grovelled and pleaded before Povey, crouching to kiss his feet, and grasping for his hands to kiss them too. Povey pulled away, embarrassed.

  "Back oars, you swab!" he said, and frowned heavily. "You were one of the mutineers, you blasted lubber! One of those that followed Flint! You were aboard the ship Betsy that Flint made on the island. You were aboard her, with Flint, when I was cast adrift!"

  "No! No!" groaned Benn Gunn, shaking his matted head in an agony of self-pity, betraying himself comprehensively by protesting too much. "Not poor Ben Gunn," he moaned, "what-never-was-a-mutineer-nor-followed-Flint-on-the-island-nor-later-aboard-Betsy-nor-later-yet-aboard-Walrus-and-always-was-a-loyal-heart-and-true-God-bless-King-George-and-God-bless-England-and-bless-the-navy-too…"

  It rattled out non-stop, ending only when Ben Gunn ran out of breath.

  "Says you, Ben Gunn!" said Povey. "But you must come aboard and go before Captain Baggot to be examined."

  "Yes! Yes!" said Ben Gunn. "Aboard ship and not marooned. Not left lonely with only the goats for company.

  For there's only them now… what with the others being gone."

  "What others?" said Povey.

  But a cunning look came over Ben Gunn, and he fell silent, as if realising he'd said too much.

  Within a sand-glass fifteen minutes, Ben Gunn found himself standing in the bright lights of Captain Baggot's cabin with the blue coats and gold lace of officers seated in front of him, and red marines behind him, and Ben Gunn goggling at the astonishing fact that among the officers, though not in the king's uniform, was Mr Billy Bones - Flint's most loyal follower. Ben Gunn pondered over that, and perhaps he wasn't so looney as he seemed, for he spotted two other things. First, most of those around the table looked like seasick landmen on their first cruise: pale and sweating heavily. And second, Ben Gunn could see that Mr Povey was as astonished as himself to find Billy Bones among the company. Alongside Bones was a clerical-looking gentleman who proved to be Dr Stanley, the chaplain, and he was treating Mr Bones with favour, almost apologetically.

  Povey caught Lieutenant Hastings's eye where he sat with the other officers, and looked questioningly at Billy Bones. Hastings nodded at Dr Stanley. He risked mouthing the words:

  "It's his doing!"

  For his part, Billy Bones stared fixedly at Ben Gunn, who had not featured in the instructions he'd received from Flint. Thus Billy Bones was forced to extemporise, which he did to such creditable effect as would have amazed the master down below, who believed him incapable of initiative. Though perhaps Billy Bones shone more lustrously by comparison with Captain Baggot, who was not himself, being now quite ill.

  Baggot did little more than extract a repetition of Ben Gunn's whining innocence, attempting only half-heartedly to examine such interesting matters as just what the Hell had been happening on the island while Flint was there? Especially to the north where John Silver had escaped aboard Walrus? All such matters Ben Gunn refused to discuss, fearing self- incrimination. Finally, bleary-eyed, swaying in his chair, and with red blotches now livid on his face, Baggot turned to Billy Bones.

  "Will you have a word w
ith him, Mr Bones? Were you not shipmates once?"

  "Aye, Cap'n. Aboard Elizabeth, at the beginning of all these troubles."

  "What troubles, Mr Bones?"

  "Cap'n Flint's troubles, sir… and the wicked conspiracy against him."

  "Rubbish!" said Povey, who knew exactly what had gone on aboard Elizabeth.

  "Poppycock!" said Lieutenant Hastings who'd served alongside him.

  "Be silent, there!" cried Baggot irritably. "Do not interrupt your betters!"

  "Indeed not!" said Dr Stanley, and the other officers nodded.

  Hastings and Povey gaped. They couldn't believe that they weren't believed, for all England knew they'd been Flint's shipmates. Had they been fit and well, they'd have fought for truth. But, like most others present, they were not fit and well. They were sick with headache and a nausea that was getting steadily worse as the day ended and the night came on. They hadn't the strength for so fearful a task as opposing their superiors.

  Billy Bones, however, being immune to the peril that was bearing down on his shipmates, pressed on clear-headed and determined.

  "Now then, Mr Gunn!" he said, sending Ben Gunn quivering in fright.

  "I don't know nothing," came the response.

  "Yes, you do. For you was helmsman aboard of Elizabeth, wasn't you?"

  "Aye, but it weren't my fault she run aground."

  "So whose fault was it?"

  "Cap'n Springer's!"

  "That's Springer as was cap'n of Elizabeth," said Billy Bones for the benefit of his audience, before turning back to Ben Gunn. "So it were Springer as done it, not Flint?"

  "Not him!" said Ben Gunn. "It were that swab Springer, damn him!"

  "And who flogged you for it, Mr Gunn - you that was helmsman?"

  "Springer! He flogged me, though I was steering to his own orders."

  "That he did, Mr Gunn. You that was innocent, as all hands knew!"

  "Aye!"

  "And when we was run aground, who was it as couldn't get us off?"