Ann paused her walking and instinctively stowed behind a barrel, not wanting to be in any sailor’s way.
Will turned around, and Ann followed his gaze to the man who had been calling for help. Crenshaw. The second mate was pulling down on one of the longest yardarms that hovered over the edge of the ship, a mass of rope flailing about, as if he were stuck in the rigging.
Will raced toward Crenshaw and called out, “What on earth is happening?”
“The wind has tangled them to bits,” Crenshaw said. “I tried to get it undone, but now I’m stuck, and I’m of a mind to cut it free.”
“Can’t we salvage it?” Will asked, as a wave tipped the boat to the side. Ann held tight to the barrel, straining to hear what was said over the wind.
Will shouted even louder. “I’ll secure myself to the ground line and walk backward. With it taut, you might be able to see the knots more clearly.”
Crenshaw nodded, and Ann held her breath.
Will took two steps backward, rope around his waist, as Crenshaw pulled on more of the sail and the other ropes. Suddenly the boat pitched again, and Will nearly lost his footing.
Ann’s gut jumped into her throat. She reflexively shut her eyes but opened them again in time to see Crenshaw kick Will in the stomach. The force of it pushed Will against the rail. Crenshaw slipped out of the knots and charged toward Will, kicking his boot again into Will’s abdomen. One more kick, and Ann was sure Will would fall between the rails and the edge of deck.
Crenshaw lifted his boot, and she leaped from her spot.
“No!” she cried, as Crenshaw’s foot came down for the third time.
Will’s body fell over the edge, disappearing into the blackness.
Dread propelled her forward.
Crenshaw whipped around to see who had spoken, and when he registered her approaching, he chased in her direction.
Ann tore to the right, hoping to avoid him around all the barrels and rigging that lay under the yards. He lunged toward her, but somehow, despite the wet deck, she managed to tuck out of the way.
“Crenshaw,” a voice called out behind him. For one second, he became distracted, and she used that momentary break to continue to the railing.
“Don’t move a muscle,” she heard the voice yell at Crenshaw, but she didn’t stop to see if he listened. One more second, and she was at the rails, gripping the top one with both hands and staring over the edge.
There, hanging by the rope around his middle, was Will.
“Ann,” he yelled. “Help me!”
Ann’s insides tightened with a strange war of gratitude and dread. His hand was looped through the ropes, trying to hold himself upright and keep from slipping through the rope around his middle. How could she ensure his safety?
“Keep your hold,” she yelled, and grasped the rope. With everything she had, she pulled. Despite using all her force, it only drew back six inches.
“That’s all right,” he yelled as he swung out away from the hull. “Brace yourself against the cleats on the edge of the deck and pull again.”
Another wave crashed against the ship, but she did as he said. This time she managed more leverage, and the rope shortened. He still wasn’t closeenough to climb aboard. Ann tore her gaze over her shoulder, desperately searching for help. The other men were involved in some commotion with Crenshaw. No one was coming to her aid. It was up to her and God to save Will.
Please God, help me save him.
She threw the rope around the back of her waist and tugged again, increasing her strength by pushing off the cleat with her legs with even greater force. Timing her efforts with the waves, Ann heaved on the rope over and over with all her might, snaking her hands down and keeping firm tension with every inch of rope she pulled up.
Through the cleats on the deck, she could see Will’s hair swaying back and forth as he hung on for his life.
“Just once more,” he called.
She pulled back again with all her might.
“Can you reach me?” she cried. She wound the rope against the cleat before spinning around to lie on her stomach and extend her hand.
He swung out again, and this time when he came back, his feet went flush with the side of the ship and with his untangled hand, he caught hers. She wrapped her other hand around his, and with everything she had, pulled him up onto the deck.
