must use both wits and strength.
'If I can use this ship to retake my fluyt, I shall. There are reasons why the attempt must be made. If I cannot, I shall sail in it where I am going.'
'And what will you do with us?' he asked. I left that to his imagination. He had seemed, when I had first seen him sitting there, bound and facing Duval with contempt, a brave man. He was nothing of the kind, only a good talker and a hater without the will to fight as he must.
I now had sixteen men. Hanberry had at least twenty, but several of his had already lined up with mine in the fighting and the work.
Later, I put it to them honestly. 'I want my fluyt again. If I get it, I shall not want this craft. The cargo is mine as a prize of war. If you choose to sail with me, and to leave with me when we have the fluyt, you shall be rewarded. I can promise you fighting, hope of rich reward, and a chance to go home. If you choose to stay with him, I shall give no argument.'
Nine of the twenty chose to join with me, several quibbled and were uncertain. I merely told them, 'We will strip the damaged vessel of her cargo, her guns, whatever is aboard of value. We will do it now.'
One of those who had declared for Hanberry said, 'And if we've no mind to work?'
I smiled. 'I hope, then, that you're a good fisherman. There are fish to eat, and shellfish, too, by the signs along the shore. So try your luck. Those who do not help will not eat.'
He shifted his feet,. glowering at me.
The men available I turned to on Duval's ship. We dumped three guns over the side to right her a bit, although it did but little, then we opened her hatches and went to work.
The several ships Duval had looted had netted him little, yet there was much powder and shot, a great store of lead, some foodstuffs the water had damaged already, but much else still of value.
When we had gathered much of it on deck, Pike took several of the men and warped Hanberry's galleon alongside. Rigging a sling and tackle, we began transferring the loot from Duval's Haydn to the galleon.
It was not a rich cargo, as such cargoes go, but the powder, shot, and lead were worth much more than their weight in gold to me.
Finally, we lowered Duval from his pine tree. He stared at me with such hatred as I have rarely seen. 'I'll have your heart out for this!'
'Hoist him aloft,' I told Blue.
Duval grabbed at my arm. 'No! My God, man, you can't do that!'
'Then keep a civil tongue in your head.'
Turning to Blue, I said, 'Put him in the brig on his own ship, and put a man on watch. If he tries to escape while you do so, shoot him.'
At last I stood on the beach, facing Hanberry.
'You have the Haydn. If you have resolution enough you can patch her up and sail her out of here.'
He stared at me, choked with fury. By the rules of war, his own ship was mine, and his cargo also. Yet I promised myself that if I could find the fluyt and retake her, then I'd return his ship to him with those of his crew I had aboard.
We left him there upon the shore.
On the afterdeck I met with Pike and Blue. 'You know Handsel best. What do you think he would do?'
'I have been thinkin' of that,' Pike said. 'He'd but twelve men aboard ... not all of them able. He can handle the fluyt with the number, but he'll not be able to fight her. Nor will he return to Newfoundland, for well he knows they'd be askin' of me there, and of Blue here. I think he would sail on down the coast.'
We talked of it until the day was gone and the stars were out, trying each possibility and the arguments against. Finally, I sent Pike below for sleep and held the watch alone.
She was a neat craft, this Flemish galleon, not large but easily handled as were the Dutch craft. With so many ships upon the water, the Dutch had learned they must make their ships easier to handle, and had done so. They were cracking fine seamen, the Dutch.
Midnight was long past when I awakened Pike.
The clouds had cleared away and the stars were bright in the sky. There was a mild sea running, and enough wind to carry canvas without worry. We were making good time at last, heading south and a little west. At this point the coast of America slanted away to the south-west, and I knew from the charts there were scattered islands off the coast.
And somewhere far down the coast, without me, was Abigail, in what kind of weather I knew not.
But first I must find Lila and free her ... or them!
Chapter 13
Now being at sea again, and south-bound, my spirit was at rest, for though much trouble might come, I had my destination before me.
The continent lay west of us, just beyond the horizon, and we kept a man aloft at all times, alert to see any vessel that might hove into sight. But mostly we looked for the fluyt.
It was not in me to go a-pirating, nor was it large in the minds of my crew, for well they knew we had a goodly store below decks and if a port was made with what we had, all should do well.
Soon we sailed closer to the shore. Twice we sighted small boats, but they fled on seeing us, taking their cargoes of fish into shallow waters where we could not follow. Yet one fellow was close enough that we hailed him.
He came alongside, wary of us, but curious. I traded some line and canvas for fish, and asked about the fluyt.
'Aye, see her we did! She's lying up in the lee of a high, rocky island a half-day's sail to the south, or was before daylight. We saw her before, and not likely to forget it, either, with a great, tall woman at the wheel, hair flying in the wind!'
'A woman?'
'You think me a liar? Well, I am neither a liar nor drunk ... a woman, I say!
And such a woman as you never saw!'
So now it seemed we were close, and all my troubles might be resolved at once, yet I was not one to count money before it was paid me. I bade good-bye to the fisherman and we had up some canvas and took our way south, with me sore afraid the fluyt would have flown before we had sight of her. Yet for once good fortune was with me, and we rounded into the cove to see her lying there, waiting.
We came in close enough and let go our anchor, and a boat to the water almost as quickly.
She was at the rail when I came alongside.
'Is it you then?' she asked. 'Full long enough you took!'
'What in blazes happened? Where's Peter Handsel?'
'He's below ... confined in the rope-locker. The crew liked my cooking better than his sailing, so I've been sailing-master and cook as well.'
She looked closely at the Flemish craft. 'A good ship,' she decided, 'but I like this one better.'
We wasted no time with further talk. If it pleased the Lord that I come well home again to Raleigh's land, I'd be happy, and if it were soon, happier still.
It was true I had done well with my fishing in troubled waters, but more by good fortune than by my own efforts, although I had not hesitated when it was time to act, and sometimes that is the whole face of it.
With Pike and Blue in the cabin, I spoke them fair. We'd rich cargo below, and I'd taken them to it, and so I told them I should take the powder, lead, round-shot, and the beads and trade goods. The richest of the cloth they might have.
So I divided the cargo there, and they had no word to say against it, and my portion was shifted to the fluyt. Much of what I wanted most for Raleigh's land they could easily come by in Newfoundland, but the cloth was a rich thing.
'And the Flemish ship, then?' Pike asked.
'I give her to you,' I said. 'Sail, sell, or sink her, she's yours, but if you decide to sail her, come along down to
