“Let’s get it in the boat before it loses its air and starts to sink,” said Will.
With some extra rope that was coiled at the front of the rowboat, Will made a harness around the animal’s snout and dorsal fin, and they lifted it little by little until they could get the animal inside.
With the animal nearly the length of the rowboat and the weight of it pressing the craft lower in the water, Will feared the boat would capsize. He glanced toward the ship where several onlookers were cheering.
“We need to row toward the ship as fast as we can,” said Jack, and Will agreed. They were equal with the ship at the moment, but waiting any longer would cause them to fall behind.
The weighed-down rowboat was sluggish as they began to move, and then the water below them started to churn. Some of the dolphins had turned around and were circling the small craft. One of them started to ram the underside of the low hull. Without speaking, Will began batting them away with the oars while Jack rowed. The rowboat was on course to intersect the ship, but Will wondered if the walls of the small craft would hold.
“Throw them a rope,” called someone from the ship.
By some miracle Jack caught it, and Mr. Wilson and Mr. Haddock started to pull from the other side. When the boat began traveling faster, the attacking dolphins sped away, as though confused by the sudden movement.
More ropes were thrown over the side as they came closer to the ship nearly in the wake of theWindermere. Will and Jack secured the tow ropes to the cleats, and the winch on board began lifting them slowly out of the water.
Will stared at the poor animal. He couldn’t believe his plan had worked. They needed food so badly, and he knew this would help. Realization of the grave danger he’d just put himself and Jack in hit him. They could have capsized or become stranded. His whole body went rigid.
He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Somehow, they had done it. Theywouldhave dolphin for dinner. God had watched over them, he knew, and had given them this animal for their use.
By the time they reached the deck, his heavy breathing was drowned out by the cheering of everyone on board.
Will nodded his head toward the group. His eyes scanned for the one face he wanted to see. For a moment he caught her watching him from the rails and they exchanged a glance. Then, in the crush of people, she was gone.
As they unloaded the boat, he thought of all that had happened. He’d prayed for help and received it in a most unexpected way. He wished he could tell Ann that God had heard him. Jack patted him on the back, seeming tosoak in the glory more than Will could. Instead, Will found himself overcome by the entire ordeal.
He hoped his actions proved to the captain and crew one thing: He was willing to sacrifice for this ship.
Ann tried to still her breathing. Standing at the rail of the ship, she’d watched Will’s every movement with utter worry and baited anticipation. As he’d rowed back with the dolphin, their eyes had met. He’d nodded, ever so slightly. It was like he was looking just for her, and it made her heart throb with joy.
But her muscles didn’t relax until he was back on deck.
Now sailors and other men crowded around him, offering congratulations and assisting with the catch. She sunk to the edge of the crowd. The entire ship had a reason to celebrate; the meat of the dolphin was much needed. But with everyone recognizing him and his work, her once elated heart started to deflate. She took a makeshift seat on a barrel near the side of the ship and pulled out the note the doctor had delivered that morning.
My dearest Ann—
Though I long to be near you again, the captain made his expectation quite clear, and I do not want to undermine his orders or lose credibility with the sailors. For this reason, I think it is best that we maintain distance at this time. I hope you can understand and know that as soon as I feel it is acceptable, I hope to speak with you.
With my love,
Will
She folded it back up, the contents nearly memorized, and glanced in his direction, telling herself to be patient. His desire to follow orders was admirable. It was what they should have done from the beginning—though that would have meant no kiss. And she wouldn’t trade that kiss, not for all the water in this never-ending ocean.
Yet while all the crew—and the passengers for that matter—gloried in him today, she felt invisible. When they could talk again, hopefully beforethe journey ended, they needed to discuss their feelings and the question that weighed on her the most.
His faith.
She thought of his words right before he kissed her. He spoke of changing course, of growing faith. With more hope than she’d ever had before, she’d thought him finally believing in what she knew to be true.
Yet she still wondered if his views had changed enough. It was terribly unlikely he’d give up all he’d worked for all these years to join the Saints and head west. He’d given her hope of change that night, but she was nearly certain it wouldn’t be enough.
Though hard, she could give him the space he needed to do his duty, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t pray for her hopeful, if unlikely, future with him.
With a sigh, she sat taller and watched the crew as they worked on the dolphin. Some of the blood pooled on deck, and the youngest sailors washed buckets of seawater over it to keep the boards clean. Ann drew her eyes away from the visceral scene and looked out to the water in front of them as the rest of the pod of dolphins swam out ahead of the ship.
The sun drew low in the sky as they continued to divide the great animal, bringing baskets of meat down to the cook. Will and Mr. Flynn stayed on deck, helping salvage every edible portion. When the many helpers were gone, and the air cool and still, she could just make out Mr. Flynn’s words across the deck. She’d been in a daze, but his firm voice brought her back to the present, and she slid off her barrel and moved closer, crouching behind another barrel as she listened.
“Now that we’re alone,” she heard Mr. Flynn say, “do ye attribute the success of the dolphin to yer newfound religion?”
