“Oh.”
“Perhaps I should practice my rope skills again.I think my knots are getting rusty.”
“Perhaps that’s your nuts, actually.”
He laughed, his breath shifting the strands of my hair.I felt safe and secure against him.
“All the more reason.”
“Aye.”
***
Butweweren’tableto get up to any nonsense, because a ship appeared on the horizon and the men wanted to subdue her.
Hillier was using the spyglass to have a closer look.He and Captain Martin and I stood by the bow rail.
“French flag, Captain.She’s listing.Perhaps she’s had some damage.Always the easiest targets.”
“Yes, that’s true.However, if she’s been attacked and looted already, there might not be much left.And our hold is quite full already.Is an attack worth the risk?”
“The men are restless.Perhaps we stayed too long in calmer seas.”
“Well, let’s get her, then.”
“Will you try to negotiate?”I asked.
“We will show them we mean business.But, yes, of course.Best for everyone if they surrender.”
I didn’t actually enjoy the pillaging and commandeering aspects of the pirate life.In all honestly, I wasn’t exactly made for such a pastime.I had tried to learn sword fighting, but Hillier had given up on me after I’d nearly cut his arm off, and in my surprise and horror, I had hauled the weapon back and buried the point in the mast, so much that I couldn’t draw the blade out.I had my dagger and could wield the weapon decently in hand-to-hand combat with one other person.I didn’t think I’d do very well in a protracted battle.
Generally, I stuck close to Captain Martin, who could wield a sword better than most, and oftentimes we avoided bloodshed.There had been one or two skirmishes on the way to Talamanca, but we’d easily subdued the smaller crews.The ship on the horizon appeared bigger than those we had most recently encountered, and I worried we were taking on more than we could handle.
Then again, theArrowwas a sizeable frigate with a large crew.We had cannons, muskets, and swords.Our powers of intimidation were substantial.
That said, each time we approached another ship, I worried that all the things I’d read about pirate battles would prove true.I couldn’t help but think that so far, we’d been extremely lucky.
Like we usually did, we kept our decoy Dutch flag up until we were close enough to give chase to the other vessel, which didn’t take long as she was definitely crippled and not moving at a great pace.
“Raise the colours!”Hillier shouted, when we were in position and wanted her to know of our intensions.
TheArrow, in utmost advance and with her sails full, gained speedily on the French merchantman, theEloise.There didn’t seem to be anyone on deck, which was quite strange, but perhaps they were hiding, knowing they were doomed.
“Fire over the bow!”Hillier commanded.
In a moment, there was a flash of fire and a boom that shook theArrowas the canon discharged a warning shot.
We waited.No fire was returned, theEloiseeerily quiet.
Hillier came to stand with the captain and me.
“Shall we board her, sir?She must be abandoned.No one has responded to our approach.”
“Well…I suppose so.The men will want to.Perhaps there will be items aboard that we can use.Other than an obvious list to starboard, she doesn’t appear damaged.I wonder what happened.”
“As do I.We should be cautious, of course.”
“Come, Officer White,” the captain addressed me more formally than usual.“Get your jacket and put your bloody shoes on.For fuck’s sake, how many times do I have to tell you—”
