When Jessop awoke, he and William Rees were in a cage of sorts. It was barred on three sides and backed up to the inside of the hull. A foul smell of stagnate water sloshed in the middle of the room. The stench made him wrinkle his nose.
Where am I?
He could only assume on the pirate ship, but why were they not dead? Before Jessop was knocked out, there were very few Victory men still alive on deck. Why not make a clean sweep and kill them all? What could they hope to receive from the two of them? Jessop couldn’t see any reason why they had been saved.
“Rees, are you all right?” Jessop asked with concern to the young man who slumped in the corner of the cage his forearms resting on his knees.
“I’m okay. Couple of gouges and cuts but nothing that won’t heal.”
Jessop rubbed his head where he’d been hit, wincing at first then realizing he had been bandaged.
“You were hit hard. Don’t mess with it. I think I finally got the bleeding to stop,” William said.
“Thank you,” Jessop responded a little dumbfounded by the show of concern.
“It’s the least I could do. After all you’ve saved my life twice now.”
“Twice?”
William rubbed his leg and said, “Yes, my leg and now this.”
“But…”
“Penn and Simmons told me last night what you did to save my leg and my life.”
“It’s nothing anyone else wouldn’t have done.”
“Not true. I can’t say I would have done the same for you a week ago.”
Jessop nodded in acknowledgement. He knew this thank you was not easily given by William.
“I suppose that’s true. Just so you know, I rarely agree with my father on most everything under the sun, though my political ignorance is no excuse for my father’s actions against the patriots.
“If I were in your shoes, I may have been just as enraged as you have been with how easily the loyalists look the other way at how King George has handled things in America. My father’s wealth has kept me naive to the politics of Massachusetts, but here on the sea I am no better or worse than you. We are but the same.”
“I guess we are,” William said with a smirkish smile. “I might add, we happen to be in a bit of a fix.”
“Indeed. Why do you supposed they’ve kept us alive?”
“Maybe they know who you are and plan to ransom you,” William surmised.
“Unlikely and if you don’t mind I’d prefer them not to know such things.”
“Why? It might mean your freedom?”
“Let’s use this as a last resort. I’d rather be known for my own deeds than those of my father. Truth be told, aside from being taken against my will, I’ve rather enjoyed liberation from my father’s demands.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was horrible for you,” William said sarcastically.
“I know it might not seem like it to you, but I was just as much a prisoner in that life as we are right now,” Jessop said but by the look on William’s face he knew he didn’t believe it.
Knowing it would do no good, he shook the gate hoping it would spring open and release them, but no such luck. He paced back and forth taking in his surroundings and assessing their situation.
“Any ideas?” William asked.
“Not a one. Even if we could flee this cage, there’s no way we can take on a whole crew of pirates—not to mention we have no weapons. And quite honestly, in the middle of the ocean, where might we go. We have no vessel to leave. For the time being we’ll have to do as our captors say until we have an opportunity to do otherwise.”
“So we’re doomed to die at sea at the hands of pirates.”
“Not necessarily. If they haven’t killed us by now, they must have some plan, otherwise why take two more mouths to feed.”
“Who says they’re going to feed us?” William added.
Jessop could only shrug at his prisonmate’s question. He had no idea what fate would befall them, but they were still alive and that was something to hold on to.
* * *
A weathered man with skin baked brown from the sun and roughened by wind and rain, brought a tin plate of two hardtack biscuits and two cups of beer. He slapped them down on the floor, eyeing Jessop and William suspiciously and shoved the items toward the bars with his foot, almost toppling the beers nearby. Not one word did he speak but his expression told Jessop he didn’t like them or approve of them being alive.
He took his leave after a snort of disapproval when Jessop reached down to get the meal handing a biscuit to William along with a cup.
“What do you suppose that was about?” William asked gratefully taking the food from Jessop.
“Not sure, but he seems none too happy to have us around.”
“Guess he’s as stumped as we are as to why we’re alive,” he said while gnawing on the brick of a biscuit.
“That would be my guess, which only confuses me all the more. By the looks of things, our being alive is not their standard protocol, which I find even curiouser.”
“I hope they don’t plan on fattening us up and eating us,” William said having broken off a tiny bit, rolling it around in his mouth in hopes of softening it with saliva.
Jessop looked up at him stunned by the words.
“Don’t look so surprised. I’ve heard stories of pirates eating a captive.”
Jessop mulled over the concept of cannibalism then said, “They wouldn’t be giving us such items as hardtack if that were the case. I’m sure they plundered what they could from the Victory and she was fully stocked. If they were low on food and gear, they aren’t anymore.”
“I suppose.”
The beer felt good going down his dry, scratchy gullet and it took the sharpness out of the aches and pains he was starting to feel from fighting earlier, but no amount of beer would erase the picture his mind kept showing of Captain Kramer dying. Were he and William the only ones who survived the carnage on the Victory? He hoped not, but it seemed unlikely since there were no other prisoners locked below with them. As he chewed on his own rock of food he heard what sounded like several men making their way to them. He took another swig of beer before standing in greeting to the oncoming group. William followed his lead timidly.
A chevron of three men strode towards them. The man in forefront was large but lean. He wore a cocked hat adorned with plumes of black ostrich feathers, a rare sight indeed. He wore a waist coat of red under a large cuffed frock-like coat of black embroidered with gold. He wore a wide leather baldric across his chest, armed with a heavily ornate sword. His heavy black boots were adorned with large silver buckles on the vamp. His face was stern under a very bushy mustache. In his arm he carried a three-legged pot belly pig. It was missing a rear leg and one of his ears looked as if torn in half. Though demure in size the pig squealed hostiley between snorts as if he were growling at Jessop and William as the three approached the bars.
“Top of the day to ye and welcome aboard the Revenge, lads. I be the captain of this rogue infested heap. I goes by the name Cap’n Stillwater.” He pointed to his left. “This here is me first mate Fin Gordon and o’er here,” he pointed to his right, “is the finest boatswain this side of the Atlantic, Bloody Harry Cash. I wouldn’t be askin’ why we call ’im that if I were you or ye might be finding yerself a might bit bloody.” The pirates all had a long laugh among themselves.
“What might we be a callin’ you, lads?” the captain asked.
Flabbergasted by the cordialness of the captain’s demeanor, Jessop fumbled over his words. “Jess…” he lingered as he thought about what he would reveal to the captain then continued. “Jesse Andrews,” he finished glancing at William hoping he’d go along with the fib.
“Uh, I’m William Rees.”
“It’s good to be meetin’ the both of you. I expect ye might be a bit confused why yer living while yer fellow crew are feeding the fish,” he said petting the still squealing wretch of a hog.
“It’s a right fare question ye pose since pirates like ar’selves are not well known for ar’ kindheartedness. However, once in a blue moon we come across lads such as yerselves an’ offer ’em a spot on the crew. If ye be refusing such a kindness then bones is what you’ll be after I slip a few feet of steel in your gut and have yer friend chained to the keel. What say you, lads? Ar ye with us or against us.”
William spoke first as if the words shot out of his mouth. “I’m with you, Captain.”
All eyes were upon Jessop. A pirate? What kind of life would that be? He did seem to have the knack for life at sea. Of course with the choice being death by pirates bent on torture or life aboard the Revenge, it wasn’t really a choice at all.
“Yes, I’ll join your crew.”
“Aye. That would be the better of yer choices, now. Mark me words, lads, if’n ye be thinkin’ of jumpin’ ship when we make land, I will hunt ye down and I’ll show ye the color of yer insides. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Captain,” William blurted out followed by a “yes, sir” from Jessop.
“Just so we are on the same page, if’n me ’n the crew don’t take a liking to ye, we’ll be killin’ ye—seeing how’s a pirate gives no guarantees. Agreed?”
William and Jessop nodded.
“Bloody Harry will show ye where yer bunkin’ and servin’ up some chores fer ye lads,” the captain said as he nodded to Fin to release them from their cell. “Top of the day to ye, boys,” the captain said petting his pig and turning to leave. After Fin opened the squeaky door, he followed the captain, while Bloody Harry Cash stayed behind, arms crossed and assessing the landlubbers who stood before him.
* * *
“What be yer trades, ya scallywags?” the gruff man with a horrible scar across his cheek and fearsome glare asked.
“I worked for the cooper and the carpenter on the Victory.”
William was standing beside Jessop looking incredibly intimidated by the ‘Victory or Death’ tattoo scrawled into the man’s skin below the head of a pirate garbed grim reaper.
When he didn’t answer the man, Jessop said, “and William is very apt with armory and rigging.” William responded to the statement with a nod of affirmation. Harry scratched the stubble on his chin as he eyed William suspiciously.
“Ya don’t say. Well, we best be gettin’ ya squared away with some supplies and I’ll be showin’ ya yer quarters.”
Many eyes followed William and Jessop as they made their way from the bowels of the ship to the deck. Snickers and whispers combined with disapproving glares were heard behind them. It was apparent to Jessop that taking on crew from a recent plunder was not customary and it was going to take some doing for this crew of deadly men to approve of them. They’d have to do something pretty spectacular to earn their respect or they’d always be looking over their shoulders in fear for their lives.
The ship itself was older and more worn than the naval ship, but it had its beauty too. There were more finely carved accoutrements in its detailing but most importantly, as they had learned during the battle, it was as fast as the wind. Like the ship, the crew was dirty and worn, but strong and lethal just the same. Jessop thought he might have to use his fighting skills sooner than expected by the looks they received. When they were alone, he would mention to William to keep his knife handy at all times. He may need it to defend his life.
They came to the galley, where a man who was as wide as he was tall was known as Beans. They were quickly introduced which ended by Beans tossing them a sack each. Supplies or rations, Jessop thought, but before they could open the bags to see what had been given to them they were off walking once again. They passed through a corridor or two and entered a large work room of sorts with tools hanging everywhere from beams above. A very tall lanky man was hunched over a workbench tinkering with something they could not see from their vantage.
Harry announced, “Woody, these men have been recruited by the captain from the royal navy ship. They be claim’n to know a thing or two bout carpentry and metalwork.”
“Do they, now?” the thin man retorted in a rogue Scottish drawl. “We’ll be seeing aboot that, won’t we, lads.”
Jessop nodded and made a quick glance towards William who looked terrified by the towering red-headed man with an enormous ruddy-gray mustache that almost hid his entire mouth. What worried William so was the very large chisel the man held in his fist like a dagger ready to be thrown their way.
“Me name’s George McDonnel. Most call me Woody as Blewdy Harry duz for me trade. You kin call me McDonnel til’n we get better acquainted. What do yous two go by?”
Jessop said, “I’m Jesse Andrews, but you can call me Jess if you like. This is my mate, William Rees.”
“Sir,” replied William.
“Jess and William, aye. Seems the captain’s takin’ a shinin’ to yous. I’m guess’n near on four years, since he’s done such a thing, wouldn’t ya say, Blewdy Harry?”
“Aye. That’s about right,” answered Cash.
“Lucky lads yous is. Lucky indeed,” McDonnel said.
“I best be showin’ them their quarters,” Cash said.
“Aye. Be seein’ yous both on the morrow, lads.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jessop said and William mumbled the same.