Friends of the Crown - Book 1 of Heroes of the Realm Read online

  Chapter 9 – The Great Western Ocean

  They checked out of the inn the day after agreeing to go on the journey and moved aboard the Braydon. Since the crew's quarters were cramped, the young men had to store most of their belongings under the canvas of one of the two rowboats the ship mounted for landing where no dock was available.

  For the next several days, the captain kept them busy getting to know the ship and crew and helping prepare the schooner for the long voyage.

  The first two crewmembers they met were Mallen and Greer, the sail maker and the carpenter the captain had mentioned at the tavern. The former was a tall man with light gray hair and a narrow goatee he seemed quite fond of stroking as he spoke. The latter was a squat man with thick arms and flaming red hair. Though they may have seemed mismatched at first, it was clear they were two of a kind. They were often found walking the deck together looking over various parts of the ship, ensuring that all was in proper order. The young men found them to be easy to talk with and quite knowledgeable about all things related to the sailing or ships. The rest of the crew consisted of a cook, a cabin boy and twelve other 'hands' who would handle the rigging and other duties on-board.

  Upon hearing that they had never been on an ocean-going vessel, Mallen explained the configuration of the sails and how they were used under different conditions.

  "The thing to remember is that sails are for pushing a ship along and if you don't get the best angle on the wind, you may as well row." he said in a surprisingly light voice. "A schooner is much larger than you're used to and she will handle more slowly, so you have to see the need to change your sails sooner and give more time for it to take effect." Though Brey understood what was being said, he was having difficulty grasping the bigger picture. Nev, on the other hand, absorbed it all and understood the concepts easily.

  Greer also gave them a lesson in the difference between their little sailboat and the ship. "If I understand you correctly, you two built your own 'sailer' and used her fairly often. True?" he asked, as he seemed to do when explaining things. The young men nodded. "Well then, you're ahead of most in understanding how a ship is built."

  He turned and spit over the side. "Well, you may have noticed the Braydon doesn't look exactly like the other schooners you see 'round here. True?" Again, they nodded.

  "Mallen and me were the first two that Cap'n Report brought on when he got 'hold of her. He said he wanted a ship that was faster than most and prettier than 'em all!" He let out a gravelly laugh and spread his arms wide. "Well, here she is! She was dry-docked as soon as she was contracted and we set out to make her what she is. And what is she, you ask? She is narrower at the bow by a foot and smooth all the way through and we shellacked the hull in five coats to make her slide through the water like an arrow through the sky. We also raised her rear mast a full two-foot taller than the average, putting on two more topsail.

  "Now, it cost a bit more to make her this way, but we can haul a cargo a full day faster than the rest on a weeks sail, and that's what makes her so special. We didn't lose much on cargo space either when she was trimmed down as most of it was in the bilges anyway. A clever bit of work if I do say so myself. True?"

  They came to know the ship and its workings very quickly and were soon feeling confident they could handle themselves at sea. To their surprise and to the captain's as well, their training on the homemade sailboat applied more readily than they thought. They found that they already knew the knots they needed and how to properly deploy a sail. Of course, they had to adjust for scale, as the schooner was much larger and had two tall masts and multiple sails, but the principles were the same.

  When asked to show their skills with a sword, they sparred for no more than five minutes before Greer declared them up to the task.

  "Seems to me, you two have seen a bit of training, true?" They nodded. "You had a good teacher. You are better than most I have seen, be glad to have you beside me in a fight."

  In just over a week's time, Captain Report declared they were ready to sail. That afternoon they loaded the 'trader cargo' they would use to trade for exotic goods to bring back and sell. Trader cargo consisted mainly of trinkets and beads the natives prized, as well as fabrics of different weaves. Simple wool and cotton were the most important staples, however.

  That evening, the young men penned a letter home, their first. They described in brief their adventure to this point, promising to give full detail when they were able to write again, and assured them they were well and happy to be getting underway the following day.

  The next morning they prepared to cast off. However, before the order was given, most of the crew went down the gangway and walked toward the dockyard.

  "What are they doing?" Nev asked Mallen.

  "Engaging in superstitious nonsense." he replied, leaning on the rail and stroking his beard. "An alarming number of sailors believe it is good luck to kiss the ground of your home port before sailing. I have no idea why, all you really succeed in doing is getting your mouth dirty."

  Something about Mallen had been nagging at the back of Brey's mind and he suddenly figured out what it was. "You don't talk like a sailor, Mallen; not like the ones in the stories we've read anyway, nor a tailor. You sound more like our old teacher from Carsby. You weren't always a sailor were you?"

  He grimaced and turned to Brey. "Now, don't go spreading that sort of thing around. The other hands wouldn't respect me much if they knew." He glanced toward the crew to make sure they were not nearby. "I was, in fact, a teacher. I taught in that school right over there." he said pointing toward a whitewashed two-story building just beyond the port to the north. "I got tired of just watching the ships come in and go out; I wanted to see where they went. I guess I just never got around to going back to the school." His gaze lingered on the little white building for a moment longer and sighed.

  "You are a clever lad, Brey; most folks just think I'm being uppity." He looked sharply at both of them and added, "And I would appreciate it if it stayed that way."

  They were ready to cast off in under an hour. A crew of rowers came out to pull them from the dock and get them into position to set their sails. The long boat with a dozen oarsmen attached a rope to the stern and began pulling in long, powerful strokes. It took a half-hour to get them in position to 'put up canvas', as Mallen put it. They raised two sails and began to move slowly into Groden Bay.

  The furthest western portion of Merridon formed a long peninsula enclosing a large bay. The word 'bay' may not have been entirely accurate; it was more of an inland sea. The body of water took a full day to sail from Groden in the north until you reached the Great Western Ocean to the south, and another full day to round the Great Peninsula where the 'open ocean' began, allowing for westward sailing.

  Even though Nev was working with the riggers, he paid close attention to what was done and how, marveling at the beauty of the whole process. Once they had cleared the harbor, they were ordered to put on three more sails and the ship leapt forward. Greer had not exaggerated when he said she was a fast ship; she sliced through the water gracefully and made him feel like they were flying. It was the best feeling Nev had yet known.

  The first leg of the voyage was relatively uneventful and had gone smoothly. They sailed south-southwest along the rocky coastland of the Great Peninsula for two days and finally turned westward, quickly losing sight of the Merridonian mainland.

  They were heading toward a string of islands a few weeks sailing away; from there, they would be bound for the Crystalline Sea! During this first leg of the journey, Brey and Nev learned all they could about ship's duties. Nev was particularly interested in how the captain navigated by the position of both the sun and the stars. For his part, Report seemed quite pleased to have an eager student and taught him how to read the sighting devices and how to determine the speed of the ship by counting knots on a rope placed overboard for a specified amount
of time.

  Brey was less interested in navigation and spent much of his time in the company of Greer, learning more about the ship's construction and the improvements that the carpenter was always working on as well as other 'contraptions', as the carpenter was fond of calling them.

  Once they headed for 'open ocean', the shipboard routine changed. Ship's watch was increased and everyone was instructed to be especially vigilant. The biggest concerns for them would be poor weather and pirates. Even though they would sail for a couple more days in home waters that were patrolled often by the Royal Navy, it was not uncommon for pirates to raid smaller ships and run back out to open water before they are caught. One other new order was that all who crew not in the rigging would keep their swords near to hand in case of attack. The tension in those first few days was felt keenly by all the crew.

  Despite the added feeling of unease, both of the young men felt a keen exhilaration. As often as they had pretended and dreamed of this part of the voyage, they were still unprepared for its majesty. The ocean had been a deep blue, tinged with green as they sailed from Groden to the southwest extreme of the Peninsula. However, once they began to lose sight of land, the color changed to a very deep green that verge on blackness. Captain Report told them that the depth of the water was reflected in its color. More shallow waters tended to be a deep blue with green, but as the ocean floor dropped further and further away, it shifted toward green and then dark steel gray when it was truly deep indeed.

  Something else they had not been able to imagine adequately was the kinds of animals that lived in the deep water. They saw many different kinds of fish and beasts. While on watch one morning, a large group of fish swam along side and in front of the ship. They were light grey in color and leapt among the great waves. The curved fin on their backs made each animal appear as though they too were sailing the great ocean. Mallen informed them that these animals were 'dolphins' and were considered a good omen.

  One afternoon, four days out from the mainland, Brey saw an enormous fish that took his breath away as he tried to call out to Nev. "Nev!" he gasped. "Look at that! I never imagined a fish could be so big!" The animal was nearly forty feet in length and had not only an enormous dorsal fin, but had two more huge fins just behind the enormous head. The behemoth rose to the surface blowing a large spout of water and foam dozens of feet into the air. Several minutes later, it shot up out of the water and turned in mid-air before crashing into the water, creating a huge splash. Brey had reached unconsciously for his sword while watching the beast in awe. He heard the captain and Greer laughing behind him.

  "I'm afraid your sword would have little effect on a monster of that size, my young friend." called the captain chuckling. "You have little to fear from the likes of them. They may be large, but they are harmless."

  Greer sighed and smiled at the two adventurers gasping at theses strange sights. "D'you remember your first time, Cap'n? I was the same as them I suppose. Though I doubt I was willing to draw steel 'gainst a whale." The craftsman and the captain shared a laugh and left the young men to enjoy each new discovery; both could remember their first sights as well and didn't want to spoil it for them.

  After nearly three weeks of sailing due west, the Braydon was in sight of a cluster of islands. "What islands are those, Captain?" asked Nev, who had taken to spending much of his time near Captain Report, learning all he could about navigation and ocean sailing.

  "Those would be the Saladin Islands. While there isn't much for valuable native trade there, we can get fresh water and food, and see if any other traders have goods worth taking on."

  He grinned slightly and continued. "When I was near to your age, I came here for the first time as a hand aboard the Shark, also a Queen's Trader, though she was a three-master. I remember feeling almost overwhelmed at the exotic people and things that I saw. You yourself may feel the same way when we get there."

  "What kinds of things, Captain?"

  "Well, you are likely to see more strange animals in one place than you had ever believed could be. I once saw an animal a dozen feet tall at the shoulder, with a nose so long he could use it as you would your hand to pick up things. He could even drink water through it."

  Nev's mouth stood open in astonishment. "Is that really true?"

  "May the Creator strike me down if I have lied." The Captain held his hand up for a moment, seemingly waiting to see if he was indeed struck down. "You will also see strange peoples, Nev. There are men that are taller than anyone you had ever seen, nearly a giant in his height. There are men with skin the color of coal and men covered head to toe in tattoos of strange design. There may also be women so exotic as to nearly place you under a spell at the mere sight of them."

  Nev looked closely at the captain's face for a moment and asked, "Captain, are you pulling my leg? I can hardly believe all those things."

  Report laughed and clapped a hand onto Nev's shoulder. "My young friend, obviously you've a need to see things for yourself and that makes you well-suited to adventure, by my way of thinking." He turned toward the helm and said, "C'mon, Nev, let's see how you pilot us to the south side of that large island."

  Meanwhile, near the stern of the ship, Greer was losing his patience. "You don't know what yer saying, boy!"

  "All I am saying is that its possible." replied Brey in a calm voice. "After all the things you have told me, I can't see why it wouldn't work. I've seen one like it before."

  "D'you realize how big the thing would have to be?" exclaimed the carpenter raising his voice a bit more.

  "It doesn't really need to be that big." said Brey, his voice rising as well.

  "What is all the yelling for?" asked Mallen, who had heard the conversation escalate over the last few minutes.

  Greer waved his hand in disgust. "Young Brey here is trying to tell me how to load ships' cargo, now that he has learned so much in just a few weeks." he replied with a poorly concealed sarcasm.

  Brey sighed heavily. "All I am saying is I think it's possible."

  "Well, it ain't. It's-"

  "Hold on now." said the sail maker, cutting into the conversation before it became a full-blown argument. "What is it that may or may not be possible?"

  "Fine, I'll tell you. He has this notion that a hoist can be built to move cargo straight from the dock to the hold without stopping. No gang to move it!" He swung his arms from left to right in a broad chopping motion. "Straight from one to the other! Can you believe it?"

  Mallen stroked his beard in thought for a moment and asked, "Well. Why couldn't you?"

  Brey's face was exultant. "See? He agrees."

  "Now I didn't say I agreed with anything, I merely asked why it couldn't be done? Greer?"

  "The problem is, even though you can do that sort of thing moving hay bales about, water casks and food casks weigh five and even ten times that amount. The hoist would have to be huge and well anchored just to handle the weight, let alone move it around. It wouldn't be practical in any sense."

  Brey rolled his eyes and said, "You can get around that easily. I have been trying to tell you, it needn't be big, it just needs the right balance." When the men just stared at him, he continued. "Back home, the village blacksmith used just such a hoist to lift large castings and move them about easily. The hoist wasn't large because he used counterweights to even the load on the arm and make it easy to move and keep it from tipping over. Let me show you." He took a coal stick and a piece of sailcloth and drew a rough sketch of the contraption Carl used in his smithy.

  "Of course it would need to be a bit bigger, but not so large it couldn't be used easily. If it were built right, it could be run by only a few men doing the work of many in less time."

  Greer stared at the rendering for several moments. "How do you hold the weight still while it is being moved from the dock to the hold? It would be too heavy for a few men to hold the weight of the cargo and move the contrapt
ion around."

  Brey had already considered that himself. "A cogged wheel would be used at the pulley and they need only trip a lever into the cog to hold it. It would probably have to be forged steel to hold it and not just shear away."

  Greer looked from the drawing to Brey and back again, studying not just the drawing but also the concept carefully. "All right, I can see how the weight may be held, but how can you move it in and out? A swing arm would surely hit the mast or rigging on many ships."

  Brey had worked that out too. "Remember when you told me of your idea about extending certain types of sails along the yardarm rather then unfurling them? I was thinking we could use the same idea; if we used two parallel rails of heavy timber with a steel track along the top, we could lift the cargo and then move the whole block-and-tackle rig on small wheels along the rail from the ship to the dock and back, that way there is no swing. Of course that would require setting up a temporary support aboard ship, but that shouldn't be too hard to do, I wouldn't think."

  The red haired carpenter stared hard at the drawing and then closed his eyes in concentration for several moments. His eyes snapped open and stared at Brey and then at Mallen. "You know, the lad may actually have something here. Counter weights for the lift and a rolling rig with a block and tackle. It just might work!"

  A look of wonder crossed the carpenter's face and he grinned widely. "Perhaps you know a thing or two after all, young Brey. Let's make a proper plan of it once we pull out of Saladin!" The young man beamed with delight.

  It was nearly two hours ‘til dusk, when the captain's voice rang out. "All hands on deck! All hands on deck!"

  Once the crew was assembled, the captain stood above them atop the shack that housed the helm. "Well mates, we have nearly arrived at our first port of call. We will be here over night and will sail with the morning tide. There will be no drinking and no carousing." He paused and looked over his shoulder at the harbor and continued. "I know we would normally take a day and allow for some time ashore, but if you look to the harbor you will see the reason for my decision."

  Brey and Nev turned to look to the harbor beyond. "If you look closely, lads, you will see a ship of note to the left of the main docks." The ship to which he referred was a three-masted frigate, painted black. Canon ports were clearly visible along the side, showing she had six per side. Four smaller deck canons could also be seen fore and aft. "Though I know not the name of the ship, I know what she is. She is a pirate raider and we do not want to attract her attention. Therefore, no one goes ashore who is not on the detail to haul fresh water and supplies. You will all go armed and there will be a four-man watch at all times."

  Report jumped down from the shack and stood near the rail. "If we use our heads and keep quiet about our voyage, we should be fine. We may be deemed a simple passenger ship and not worth their time. However if they have enough incentive they may try to take our cargo and perhaps even our ship at sea. Everyone look carefully at that ship, for if you see her or one like her on our horizon, we may be in for some trouble. Do you all understand?" The young men hadn't anticipated feeling this scared with the prospect of seeing actual pirates. They looked at one another and understood how each felt immediately.

  Everyone acknowledged and looked once again at the ominous black ship.

  "Should we see her, we will make a run for it, so be prepared to rig for speed at a moment's notice. A frigate is a fast ship, but the Braydon is also built for speed and we will surely show her what we have if it comes down to it. That is all." Report turned back to the helm and guided the Braydon into the harbor.

  Anchor was dropped and Report chose four men to accompany him into the city; Greer, Brey, Collad, the sail maker's assistant, and, surprisingly, the cabin boy, Micah. Brey noted to Greer that he thought the choices odd, but the old carpenter explained. "It's simple really, he'll bring you and me for our skills with a blade, Collad because he is tall and can be intimidating at sight, and Micah because the boy knows best what supplies we will need, being the cook's assistant and all. That leaves the rest aboard in case someone tries to come a-callin."

  The Port of Saladin was a surprisingly clean and well-run city with its own militia and a thriving market. Greer said that the local guard is very efficient and see to it that little in the way of trouble happens in the city. He also said that the port city is neutral and that the only law that prevails here is the law of Saladin. Pirates and raiders use the port regularly and provided they don't cause trouble in the port itself, the authorities leave them alone.

  They lowered one of the Braydon's two rowboats over the side and rowed to the landing near the main docks. Report led them to the Harbormaster's office to be logged and inquire about supplies.

  The Harbormaster was a grizzled old man with a short-cropped white beard and a glint in his eye that stated clearly that he was no feeble oldster. "Registration." he said tersely.

  Captain Report handed him a leather folio with his papers signifying his ship's registry and other important information.

  The master looked over the papers and looked out the window at the ship anchored in the harbor. "Strange to see a two-master this far out to sea; them's usually land-huggers." he commented, referring to the fact that nearly all two-masted ships are considered too small for long open ocean voyages. "Where you bound, Captain Report?"

  The captain waved his hand in dismissal. "I will be heading directly back to Groden on the morning tide. Trade is not so good these days along the coast and I thought I would take advantage of the weather and make a passenger run here and back before it turns."

  The Harbormaster glared at Report for a moment. "Your manifest lists no passengers. You know you are supposed to list them don't you?" Brey was certain that the old man saw right through the lie.

  "I am here for pick up, sir, not drop off." replied the young captain, without pause.

  Again the master sat back and stared hard at him. "You sailed nearly a month on the hope that there might be a passenger or two for Groden? I get the feeling you aren't giving me the full tale, Captain."

  The captain just shrugged and said, "As I said, times are difficult. I have to take some chances or I risk losing my ship to the Crown."

  The Harbormasters face turned to a scowl as he made a rude noise. "Pah! Crooks! The Crown has no right to take a man's ship. Even if they help to pay for it, they should know it can get hard for a trader and he may need to ride out a storm of bad luck." Clearly, Report had struck a nerve with the old man. "That pirate king, Roland, took my brother's ship some years back for the same reason. I's never happier than the day I heard the old thief kicked off." He took a quill and made a notation in his log and on the manifest and handed the papers back to Report. "Good luck to you, Captain. I suggest you look to the Dolphin Inn for prospects. Only place where passengers with gold might be found in Saladin."

  "Thank you, Master." said Report gratefully, putting the sheaf of papers back inside his tunic. "Now, about some fresh water for my return." Report haggled for a bit and in the end got a reasonable price on four large casks of water, to be delivered to the schooner in an hour's time.

  As they left the Harbormaster's shack, Greer began to chuckle and then to laugh outright. "How in the world did you ever pull that off, Report?"

  "Nothing simpler." he replied with a grin, "The captain of the Mermaid told me how the master here was once a naval officer of Merridon until his brother's ship was taken for non-payment. He resigned and left for Saladin twenty years ago; he's had a chip on his shoulder over it ever since. I merely had to mention it to him to be past the rest of his questions. Apparently he loses all power of thought when it comes up."

  They proceeded toward the market to get the food supplies they would need to replenish their stores. The captain instructed the men to remain watchful and to try not to gawk at all the things they would see. Pirates watched closely to see who is new to t
he port and listened even more closely to try to pick up on which ship is carrying valuable cargo.

  Though there were many strange sights, sounds, and smells, Brey did his best not to show his surprise and awe; and it was no easy task. He saw strange people and even stranger animals. Just as the captain had described to Nev, he saw the tall beast with the long nose. He discovered it is called an 'elefant'. He even saw a large cat with teeth so long they reached past its mouth and extended past its lower jaw. He felt sorry that Nev had to miss them - this was the stuff of adventure!

  It took only an hour for Micah to pick out the goods needed and soon they were walking back toward the docks.

  On the way, a group of rowdy men wearing long curved swords blocked their path and demanded money to allow them to pass. Brey, Greer, and Report made to draw their swords and the men decided it would be best to let them pass. Local authorities do not look kindly on street brawls and the punishment can be harsh for those who start them. The group returned to the shipyard without further incident. As darkness had already fallen, the shipmates had to load their supplies in the boat by lamp light. They rowed back to the Braydon where the water casks had only just been delivered, and the supplies were placed in the hold and pantry.

  The night passed quietly and they made ready to sail at dawn. Sometime during the night, the mysterious black frigate had sailed from port; though Captain Report did not seem too concerned, Nev had a bad feeling about it.

  They set out from Saladin on a course west by southwest. Report told Nev they would sail for two months to a cluster of islands named Achinta Mala, in the eastern extremity of the Crystalline Sea. He said the name meant 'gateway to the world'. These islands are the farthest any traders from Merridon had successfully traded and returned. While there are several islands between Achinta Mala and Saladin, he said that the goods to be gotten from these faraway islands are the most valued and will bring the highest return.

  Because the voyage takes them across the equator, known as 'the Belt of the World', they were likely to hit some bad weather. The division of north and south is an area of upheaval where the winds are concerned and sailing will be challenging unless they cross under the right circumstances. Contrary to the belief of some captains, the best time to cross over is not in fair, sunny weather, but in cool weather when the winds are not as upset by the additional warmth in the air. If they meet with bad weather, they will have to sail many leagues off course to go around it. Storms along the 'Belt' are said to be vicious and would likely cause the schooner to founder in swells as high as twenty or thirty feet.

  "If we have to sail around a storm, how will we find our way back?" asked Nev.

  "Well," he replied, "we will have to sight the position where we leave our course and keep note of how far we go off of it and return later. If we keep track of course, speed, and time, we can get back to the very spot we left it." The captain had a way of making things that were complicated sound easy. Nev hoped to one day be as adept as the captain was.

  Three weeks after leaving Saladin, Brey was on the morning watch. His duty was to keep a lookout to the port side. About an hour into his watch, he called out for the captain. "Captain Report! I think I see something on the horizon."

  "What is it, Brey?" he asked as he came to the rail, long-glass in hand. A 'long-glass' is a tube with a lens at either end that allows someone to see great distances. "Where away?"

  Brey sighted the object he saw along his arm and then Report held the glass parallel and viewed for several moments. "Damnation." he swore. "Bring her over ten points starboard!" he cried at Nev, who was at the helm.

  Nev turned the big wheel used to steer the ship and held it while counting off the points. At ten, he swung the wheel back amidships and held it steady. "What did you see, captain?" he asked.

  "I may be wrong, but she looks much like the frigate we saw in harbor at Saladin." he said as he strode to the shack where the helm was housed. He pulled out a map from a wooden chest affixed to the wall and unrolled it on the table secured to the deck. "Keep a good count of the time off course, Nev."

  "Aye, sir." was Nev's prompt reply, as he noted the sand in the glass before him. "How long should we stay on this course?"

  "I will let you know. Moss!" he cried to another crewman. A thin young man appeared at the door of the shack almost immediately. "Check speed and report to me as soon as you have it."

  "Aye aye, Cap'n." he replied and went to drop the float and knotted rope over the side. In a few moments, he reported back they were making ten 'knots' and the captain wrote it on a piece of sailcloth.

  "Nev," he called after a few moments of calculation, "we will maintain course for four hours and turn five points port then. With luck, we can make the Kulu Islands by tomorrow. We can take shelter there and see if we have been followed."

  The captain returned to Brey's station and looked through the glass again. "I hope they are not looking this way." he whispered. Brey did too.

  Luck was not on their side and the speck soon turned into a shape, and the shape was soon discernable as a ship with the naked eye. At the rate the frigate was approaching, it would catch the schooner within a couple of hours. The Braydon had long since put up all the sail she had and was making the best time she could at twelve knots. The captain ordered the men to arm themselves and get ready for the inevitable.

  Greer had taken some of the men to the stern to prepare some additional weapons for their defense. In a short time, he and the men had prepared a dozen firebombs out of lamp oil and bottles with a piece of cloth stuffed in the neck to serve as an igniter. They had also manufactured several devices that would make boarding the craft more difficult. These were made of three pieces of wood in a three-way cross pattern with the ends sharpened to a point. If a boarder fell on one, they would be very painfully impaled. Anyone trying to board would have to get over these devices before they could attack. The Braydon also had two deck guns that fired a three-inch ball or a double handful of nails, which is what was loaded in them. While these may not have an effect on the hull of a ship, they would certainly do serious harm to any prospective boarder who got in the way of the projectiles.

  All the preparations they could make were done and now all they could do was wait. As the raider ship drew closer and closer, she raised her black flag. Just as in the stories they had read, Brey and Nev had learned that each pirate captain had a personal flag; though not all were black, this one was. The image on the flag was that of a sword thrust through a skull. While they knew it was just cloth and its design was just a picture, still it struck fear into their hearts like an arrow.

  They could now hear the jeering voices of their pursuers calling out to them. The raucous voices were taunting and horrible. Brey's hand was slick with sweat and he felt sure he would not survive the attack that was to come. Suddenly the voices of their nemeses were silent and a large man in a long dark coat steeped up to the bow of the pursuing ship. He raised a large cone-shaped device to his mouth and hailed the Braydon.

  "Ahoy! I am Captain Blunt of the frigate Daemon!" he called. "Slack your sails and prepare to be boarded! I do not wish to have to sink you; I just want your cargo and your coin! If you surrender it peacefully, you will be allowed to sail on. If you fight, we will be forced to kill you and sink your ship!"

  Captain Report had strode to the stern and looked across at the pirate captain. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he called back, "What you wish to take, you must earn, pirate! I know very well that you will not allow us to live. Your reputation precedes you and you never leave survivors!" With that, the captain turned and called to the helmsmen on duty. "Moss, keep her at our stern to the port side for as long as you can!"

  "Aye aye, Cap'n." was his grim reply.

  "Greer!" called Report. "Set your defenses and then find me."

  "Aye!" was the short reply. The carpenter took five men and set to laying out the
stakes and placing the firebombs in reach of the defenders. In a few minutes, all was in readiness and he went to find the captain.

  "We are as set as we're going to be, Cap'n."

  "I know, now I want you to do one more thing. Get yourself, Mallen, Micah, and the two green hands set to drop a boat off the starboard side. If it looks as though we will lose the ship, get them and yourselves off the Braydon and row away fast."

  Greer stared at Report in astonishment. "Have you lost your mind? I'm not going anywhere!" he replied hotly.

  Report grabbed the squat man by his shirtfront and glared into his eyes. "I will not give them the complete victory! You and I both know what's going to happen here, I want at least some of us to get away. Now get your stuff into the boat and get it ready to drop. If you never need it, then more's the better, but if we are overrun…?"

  The carpenter had never seen such intensity in his friend's eyes. He exhaled heavily and nodded. "All right, I'll do it." He turned and went in search of Mallen. Within minutes, he had told Mallen of the captain's order and they set out to get Micah, Nev, and Brey and ready the boat.