The Reaper

“Non, monsieur.”

“Then why are you wearing a French naval officer’s coat?”

“It was, how do you say…plunder.” He muttered some more comments, which couldn’t be understood.

Markham volunteered, “I think he’s trying to tell us he took it from someone’s things after the man had been killed.”

Still not letting on he could understand the man’s pleas Anthony spoke to Markham, “Well, tell him I think he’s a lying son of a cur dog and that I’m holding him responsible for that ship over there.” He pointed to the ship that had been the pirate’s prey.

“Tell him he’s been caught in the act of piracy. There’s no doubt of his guilt and the penalty is death.”

The Frenchman understood enough of what was said such that he’d started his begging and pleading even before Markham could translate.

Disgusted, Anthony ordered, “String him up!”

Lieutenant Dunn nodded to his sergeant who stepped forward, placed the noose around the pirate’s neck, and tightened it. Once the sergeant was satisfied, he stepped back and looked at Lieutenant Dunn, who in turn looked to Anthony.

Anthony nodded and lieutenant Dunn ordered, “Haul him up.” A group of marines started pulling on the rope. The French pirate’s cries were cut off as the rope bit into the flesh, cutting off the man’s air. As he was lifted off the deck, his feet started kicking the air and his body started to sway. The onlookers were stoic. Most had never witnessed a hanging and were aghast.

“Avast hauling, let him down,” Anthony ordered. The rope was turned loose and the pirate thudded as he hit the deck, gasping for air. The marine sergeant loosened the noose and the pirate started to breathe. Anthony looked at Markham, “Tell him that was my only warning. Next time he’ll hang till the gulls have pecked his eyes out.” Markham repeated Anthony’s comments.

“Now ask him who commanded his vessel.”

The pirate answered quickly, “Capitaine Allemand.”

“Where is he now?”

“Dead. He was shot as your men boarded.”

“Is the Reaper a French ship-a frigate?”

“She is big but not as big as some. She is similar to this ship and she has fifty cannons. Her capitaine is French like I am.”

“But is the ship French?” The pirate shrugged and stated, “She flies no flag. The men answer only to Capitaine Jabot.”

“When were you to rendezvous with the Reaper?”

The pirate looked frightened and could only shrug. Angered, Anthony ordered, “Haul him up.”

“Please,” the man begged before the noose could tighten. “Only Capitaine Allemand knew. He kept his papers locked up and no one else knew what they contained. Please, Monsieur.”

After further questioning, Anthony found out the man had signed on at Martinique a few months back. However no more useful information could be gained.

His was a damned difficult job. From Falmouth to Barbados was forty-two hundred miles and near ‘bout that many from Jamaica to Falmouth. A lot of ocean to cover. However, it seemed that all the attacks were taking place within a day’s sailing from islands of the West Indies. What did this mean? They would need bases to supply themselves and to trade their ill-gotten goods. The key had to be the rendezvous areas.

***

LeCroix had closed with the merchant vessel. She was a small snow with a crew of mostly islanders. The pirates had turned everything upside down. Most of the officers and crew had been killed and tossed overboard by the pirates. Sharks were in frenzy around the helpless ship. The surgeon reported to Anthony, “Nothing much for me to do. Work for a chaplain maybe, but not for me.”

Lieutenant Mainard reported aboard Drakkar. “Papers say she’s outta St. Lucia, sir. With a name cross her stern like “New Haven” I would assume she belongs to a colonial.”

“I agree,” Anthony said. “Is she ready to sail?”

“Aye, sir. The pirates were out for blood, not for destroying the ship.”

“We’ll leave her surviving crew on board. They’ll be more comfortable there than on Drakkar. Mr. Buck!”

“Aye, sir.”

“Put Gabe with a good master’s mate on board the snow and supplement its crew with a few of our men. He can take her hack to English Harbor.”

“Aye, sir,” Buck said, then hesitated. “I ‘ere, I thought I’d put Lieutenant Pitts on the Rascal.”

Anthony frowned, “Rascal!”

“Aye, sir. That’s the name of the schooner, the pirate’s vessel.”

“Oh yes,” Anthony answered, aggravated at his dullness. Trying to cover he said, “It’ll make Pitts’ dreams come true. You’ve likely doomed us all, Mr. Buck.”

Buck look puzzled, “How so, sir?”

Anthony smiled and replied, “Now that he’s got a taste of command, there’ll be no stopping Pitts. I’m sure he’ll make admiral before we do, as the master once predicted.”

Laughing, Buck said, “Could be, sir, could be.”

The return trip to Antigua was uneventful. One coastal vessel had been spotted but before Buck could call “hands to braces” it had scattered to a nearby island. Approaching English Harbour, Anthony could only guess at the impression the group would make as they headed toward their anchorage.

Drakkar had departed with the two schooners. Now instead of the three ships returning, Anthony rejoined with five. This would surely cause a stir. Breaking his reverie, the master called out to no one in particular, “Flagship has gone.”

Commodore Gardner was now the senior naval officer on station and Anthony was second. What a difference a few days made, Anthony thought. But his mind kept drifting to a little cottage on a hill and Lady Deborah.

Clearing his mind from thoughts of his mistress, Anthony realized several ships were at anchor that had not been present when Drakkar had sailed. A sloop of war, a brig, and the mail packet were all lying at anchor. Their captains, no doubt, were taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of the island, causing a pang of jealously in Anthony that he found surprising.

Chapter Nine

For the next several months things were quiet. Anthony was able to keep the schooner Rascal after she was “bought in,” but the snow was sent to England. Pitts was left in command, but he knew it was only temporary. Anthony was able to sign on most of the snow’s surviving hands. He was a little concerned about how the crew would react to the islanders. He’d never had a Negro on board his ship before. However, his concerns were for naught. The crew accepted the blacks well enough. They had been divided into two groups-the larger on board Rascal, and the other smaller group on LeCroix.

Anthony had also divided his squadron of “terriers,” as the master was so fond of calling them, into two groups. LeFoxxe and LeCroix went out in pairs. That was, Pitts being less experienced, would be under Drakkar’s watchful eye. By dividing his command into pairs, he could maintain a degree of safety and still patrol a greater area than would be possible if Drakkar was a lone ship. The pickings had been slim, however. Anthony enjoyed his forays ashore with Lady Deborah, but felt a growing need to be at sea. Out there he could possibly meet up with the Reaper, and put an end to the devil’s reign of terror. During one patrol, Pitt’s crew