Pirates of the Storm (Stranded In Time Book 1) (17 page)

The sun was still relatively high in
the sky when Harrison called a halt to training for the day. The
men cleaned and prepped the weapons so they would be ready when
needed before Harrison advised them, “Get ye some rest, men. Ye
shall need it for tonight.” He and Jeff collected the weapons and
returned them to their place in the cargo hold. As he closed the
weapons armoire, Harrison turned to Jeff, “Mr. Greene, it is not me
place to question the Captain, but he told me I be stayin’ on the
ship an’ not goin’ on the raid tonight. I ‘ave ne’er not gone on a
raid the entire time I be a part o’ this crew. Ye seem to ‘ave the
Captain’s confidence. Did he mention to ye why that be?”

“Um, no, he only told me that you’d be
part of the watch on the ship tonight. I didn’t know that was
unusual. He did tell me to be prepared for anything – I think he’s
got a feeling that there’s going to be some kind of trouble,” Jeff
replied.

“Aye,” Harrison nodded, “That would
explain it. The Captain ‘ave him a sixth sense. That eases me
thoughts. I be thinkin’ I had offended the Captain
somehow.”

“You’re not worried about what the
trouble might be that he’s expecting?” Jeff asked with some
concern.

“Trouble I can handle, Mr. Greene. Not
bein’ in the Captain’s graces is another matter.”

The two men went their separate ways.
Harrison retreated to his bunk for some rest and Jeff headed to the
galley for some food and to see his favorite member of the crew.
Jenny looked up and smiled as he walked into the galley. She was
already in the midst of preparing the evening meal and was busily
cutting up vegetables and throwing them into a pot heating on the
fire. She stopped what she was doing for a moment and walked over
to Jeff. She looked past him to make sure nobody was watching
before pulling his head to hers and kissing him. As she broke the
kiss, she stepped back and said, “I have to get this done. If
you’re hungry, help yourself to whatever you like. There are fruits
in the boxes next to the table, hardtack, flatbread and breadnuts
on the end of the counter.” Jeff grabbed a banana and some
breadnuts and sat down at the table.

“Jen…Um, Mr. Robinson,” Jeff said, as
he looked around him to make sure nobody was there, “Has the
Captain said anything to you about him expecting trouble on the
ship tonight?”

“No, but he probably wouldn’t tell me
if he did,” Jenny replied. “Has he said something to you?” “Yes,
sort of, and he’s having Harrison stay on the ship rather than
going on the raid tonight.”

Jenny looked at him with concern on
her face, “That sounds serious. Harrison is our best sword and if
the Captain wants him on the ship, he’s definitely expecting
trouble. I guess after I finish dinner, I need to make sure my
sword is sharp and secure a pistol from the armory.”

“Yeah, definitely need to be
prepared,” Jeff nodded.

“Now then, Mr. Greene, you must leave
me to my work or there will be no dinner for the crew. If there is
to be trouble, we must have our bellies full to be ready to face
it.”

“Yes, of course,” Jeff replied as he
stood up.

Jenny walked over and kissed him once
more. “Don’t worry,” Jenny said with a smile, “I won’t let any harm
come to you!”

Jeff smiled back despite his worry,
“Thanks, it makes me feel much better to know that you have my
back!”

Jeff stepped back out on
deck. The sun was just starting to sink towards sunset and the crew
was taking their positions to make anchorage off Diente Malo.
Crabtree was at the wheel as the Captain stood beside him, peering
through his spy glass. Close behind them was
The
Crow
and appropriately enough, the
Grand
Booty
was bringing up the rear. Jeff could
see the crews on the other ships taking similar positions as the
crew of the
Wench
and he knew they’d soon be anchoring offshore to wait for the
cover of darkness for their final approach to Diente Malo. Jeff was
tense with anticipation over the still unknown threat that the
Captain was expecting. Whatever it was though, his days of intense
training had given him considerable confidence that he could hold
his own in a man to man fight with just about anyone. He didn’t
want to think about the reality of the bloody violence that he
might be about to take part in. He only knew that if it were a
choice between killing another and dying himself, or worse yet,
Jenny dying, he would not hesitate to kill.

Just as the sun was starting to slip
below the horizon, Captain Coxen gave the order to furl the sails
and drop anchor. In a few hours, they and the other ships would
sail the remaining distance to Diente Malo and launch the longboats
for the raid. In the meantime, the crew filed into the galley for
the evening meal. Stepping down from the helm, the Captain called
to Jeff and invited him to join him for dinner in his cabin. Jeff
followed the Captain inside and sat at the table as Coxen poured
them each a mug of rum. “Well, Mr. Greene, I hope that my earlier
words have not weighed too heavily upon you.”

“Uh, no, not at all, Captain. I am
just trying to stay sharp and be prepared as you said,” Jeff said
as calmly as possible in an attempt to hide his anxiety.

“You are a poor liar, Mr. Greene. I am
sorry to have burdened you. I just can’t shake the feeling that
trouble is soon to find us.”

“May I ask what sort of trouble you
are expecting, Captain?” Jeff asked.

“That’s the problem, Mr. Greene, I
don’t really know. Perhaps the events of Cabra Cachonda simply have
me on edge. All I can tell you is to trust your instincts and be
wary of anything that does not seem as it should be.”

“I will, Captain,” Jeff assured
him.

Just then, there was a knock at the
door. “Enter!” the Captain beckoned. Jenny brought in their dinner
and set it on the table between them before turning to depart. “Mr.
Robinson, a moment please,” the Captain spoke up.

“Aye Captain?” Jenny said as she
turned back to the table.

“No doubt Mr. Greene has shared with
you my concern of impending trouble. I felt you should hear it from
me directly. As I have told Mr. Greene, I know not of any
particular danger, but I have an intuition that trouble is about to
find us, possibly on this very night. I need you to be on your
guard at all times.”

“Aye, Captain! I have already made
ready my pistol and I will make sure my steel is sharp.”

“Very good, Mr. Robinson. When you
return for the dishes, please bring Mr. Harrison, Mr. Graves, Mr.
Stevens, and the other Mr. Stevens with you, as I feel I should
inform them directly as well.”

“Aye, Captain,” Jenny said as she
turned to leave.

Turning his attention to the meal in
front of them, the Captain said, “Eat well, Mr. Greene!” The two
men ate in silence, both lost in thought. As they finished eating,
the Captain rose and brought out the pipes and handed one to Jeff.
As they lit up, the Captain clapped Jeff on the shoulder. “Mr.
Greene, you have done remarkably well in the few days you have been
with us.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Jeff
replied.

The Captain continued, “I should hope
that this not be our last meal together, but if that is our fate, I
must say that I have enjoyed your company considerably.”

“The feeling is mutual, Captain,” Jeff
said, forcing a smile through his anxiety.

A short time later, the knock on the
door signaled the arrival of Jenny and the men. “Come in,” the
Captain beckoned. As they filed into the room, Jenny quickly
collected the dishes and exited. “Gentlemen, as you probably
already know, I have an intuition that something is amiss and I
wanted to tell all of you in person that I will have you remain
aboard the ship during tonight’s raid. I cannot be specific, but I
have the feeling that the ship is in some sort of danger and I wish
to have you trusted men aboard along with Robinson and Mr. Greene
to guard her this night under Mr. Crabtree’s command.”

“Aye, Captain!” the men responded in
unison.

“Very good! You men are dismissed.”
“Aye, Captain,” the men once again said in chorus as they filed out
of the cabin and closed the door.

Coxen and Jeff resumed smoking, each
lost in their own thoughts. As the last traces of tobacco burned in
their pipes, the Captain said, “Now I must take my leave of you,
Mr. Greene and prepare to set sail for the raid.” The Captain bowed
and extended his hand to Jeff.

As Jeff returned the bow and shook
Coxen’s hand, he said, “Whatever happens tonight, it has been my
honor to have met you Captain.”

“And mine to have met you, Mr. Greene.
I shall hope to see you after the raid.”

Jeff departed the cabin and stepped
out on deck. The sky was now dark and the moon was just visible
rising on the horizon. A short time later, the Captain took the
helm and had Crabtree signal the other ships to make ready to
depart for the final run to Diente Malo. Soon they were underway
and Jeff stood on deck alone with his thoughts. It was hard to be
prepared for an unknown threat. He scanned the darkness in all
directions looking for foreign ships. He could see nothing, but in
the darkness, an entire armada could be within striking distance
and he would not see them coming until it was too late. An hour or
so later, the Captain signaled the other ships to set anchor and
the crew gathered on deck to prepare for the raid.

Coxen and the rest of the
raiding party were about to board the
Wench’s
longboats when the boats
from Jamison and Craig’s ships arrived. “A small change o’ plans,
Captain Coxen,” Jeff heard Captain Craig say as the boats pulled
alongside.

“What sort of change of plans, Craig?”
Coxen demanded leaning over the rail.

“I fear that several members o’ me
crew ha’ fallen sick and not be fit for the raid.”

“Why did you not signal me of this
news and only now see fit to tell me?” Coxen asked
testily.”

“The sickness come on fast after the
evenin’ meal. I only now were able to determine which men be fit
fer duty. But the raid can still take place. Captain Jamison ha’
provided four additional men and if ye can see fit to provide
another four, we shall have full strength for the raid. What say
ye?”

“This be very much out of the
ordinary,” Coxen replied, looking pointedly back over his shoulder
at Jeff as he said it. He turned back to stare down at Craig, “I
agree, just so long as you agree to an accord on the distribution
of the booty. Since you are only providing half the men as usual,
you shall only receive half of your usual share.”

“Agreed,” Craig quickly
acknowledged.

Captain Jamison spoke up, “We have
already discussed the division of profits and James has been very
reasonable about it. It is in all of our best interests if you
supply some additional men, John.”

“Very well then,” Coxen said turning
to the crew. Mr. Crabtree, Mr. Graves, Mr. Stevens, and the other
Mr. Stevens, you are with me. Mr. Harrison you shall be in command
in our absence.”

“Aye!” the men agreed in
unison.

The men boarded the longboats and set
off for shore. Jeff approached Harrison, “Mr. Harrison, does it
seem strange to you that Captain Craig would agree so easily to
reducing his share of the profits from the raid?”

“Aye! It not be in his
character,” Harrison replied with suspicion in his voice. “Methinks
Craig be up to somethin’ and this be what the Captain’s been
intuitin’. Mr. Greene, get ye the spyglass at the helm and keep
watch on the activities aboard the
Grand
Booty
. Mr. Robinson, walk the deck and
keep eyes on the water around us. I shall gather the long guns and
then keep watch on the shore.” Jeff moved quickly to collect the
spy glass and found a good vantage point to watch Craig’s ship. It
was too dark to see much, but it looked like there were several men
up and moving around on deck and they certainly didn’t give the
appearance of being sick or impaired in any way.

He watched intently through the
spyglass as it looked like there was some movement near one of the
remaining longboats stored on deck. They began lowering the boat
over the side at which point Jeff called out quietly to Harrison,
“They’re lowering a long boat.”

Harrison bounded up the steps to the
helm and took the spyglass from Jeff. “Aye, and the crew be quite
active for havin’ taken ill!” Harrison watched for a few minutes
before handing the spyglass back to Jeff. “It looks like they be
headed for shore. I’ll watch them from the rail. Ye keep an eye on
the ship.”

The activity on the
Grand Booty
subsided for
a time and Jeff’s attention was suddenly drawn to the shore, from
where the faint sounds of gunfire and muzzle flashes were visible.
The raid had begun. Jeff turned his spyglass once again to the ship
and once again something was happening. The crew was lowering
another longboat over the side. “Mr. Harrison,” they’re preparing
another longboat!” Before Harrison could make it to the helm, Jeff
looked again and corrected himself, “Make it two longboats!”
Harrison had brought his own spyglass this time and he and Jeff
watched the boats shove off from the
Grand
Booty
.