The Reaper

Anthony looked down. Lavery, one of the new mids, looked puzzled. “I’m sorry sir, you were saying?”

Feeling embarrassed for speaking his thoughts aloud Anthony said, “Its time we honor the flag, is it not? Prepare to fire our salute.’’

“Aye, sir,” Lavery answered. He then sped away to relay the message to the gunner who was already prepared to render honors.

Bart was laying out Anthony’s best coat when he walked into his quarters. “Silas will help you change sir, while I see to it the gig’s ready,” Bart said and then departed. He had been around long enough to know the Admiral would likely signal “repair on board” as soon as the last shot was fired and the salute had been rendered.

***

Lord Howe cheerfully greeted Anthony and offered refreshment while congratulating him on hoisting his pendant. Anthony quickly filled the Admiral in on their successes and failures to this point.

“My word, but the man sounds like a black-hearted devil,” Lord Howe had said upon hearing how Reaper and her cohorts were slaughtering their captives.

“Means to anger you so you’ll make a mistake,” the Admiral exclaimed. “Keep your wits about you. Otherwise…”

Anthony had noticed Lord Howe kept watching his door as if expecting someone to enter. Finally, the flag lieutenant did so.

“Excuse me, sir. It is time, my lord.”

“I beg your forgiveness, Gil,” Lord Howe said. “I have a meeting with the Governor. We’ve just been told things are heating up in the colonies, and I’m going to have to try to deal with it. Bad business, Gil. Bad business.”

Anthony stood and shook Lord Howe’s hand. Almost as an afterthought Lord Howe called, “Flags. Have you not been introduced to the commodore? His father and I were friends.” Turning back to Anthony, Lord Howe offered his condolences. “I’m sorry to hear he’s gone, Gil.”

Returning his attention to the flag lieutenant, Howe said, “Our commodore’s father was known as ‘Fighting James Anthony.’ Like his father, our guest has already made a name for himself as a fighter. I expect he’ll follow in his fathers footsteps and raise his own flag before long.”

***

After returning to Drakkar and finishing a light evening meal of kidney pie, wine and a small dish of plum duff, Anthony was reading his log and going over his entries when the marine sentry announced, “Lt. Anthony, zur.” Gabe entered, trying hard to appear normal, but he was obviously the worse for drink.

“ I say, Gabe. Are you in your cups, sir?”

Anthony was somewhat taken aback by Gabe’s appearance. Nodding his head in the affirmative, Gabe managed an “Aye, sir,” with the “sir” being belched. “Sorry, sir, but my present state is the result of upholding the honor of the Navy, sir. More precisely, the honor of Drakkar.”

“Hmm! How so?” Anthony questioned.

“Well sir, Julian, ‘ere Mr. Pope, Stephen Earl and myself stopped in at a tavern for a ‘wet.’ As we were enjoying our first tankard, this bullock major comes in and tells Nancy she…”

Anthony held up his hand stopping Gabe in mid-sentence. “Nancy? Who’s Nancy?”

“Oh, she’s a sassy little wench who was trying to decide which of the three of us would offer her the most pleasure when we bedded her.”

Anthony’s eyes widened. “You were all going to bed the same wench?” he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear more.

“Oh no, sir,” Gabe assured him, “Just the one she chose. That’s when this bloody bullock said if she truly wanted pleasure, she needed to forget about us Navy slobs and cast her lot with him-a marine, a true man.”

“I see,” said Anthony, who was now starting to warm to what promised to be a good story.

After pausing to collect his thoughts and steady himself, Gabe continued. “Then Caleb…”

Once again Anthony interrupted. “Is Caleb the bullock major?”

Gabe was shaking his head. “No sir. He’s a doctor from the colonies who got run out of Massachusetts after being caught ‘flagrante delicto’ with the governor’s niece.”

“My God!” Anthony exclaimed, not believing his ears.

This time Gabe was shaking his head negatively but responded in the affirmative. “Caleb said a finer piece of mutton didn’t exist.”

Now Anthony was shaking his head. “Pray tell me how this doctor is involved in upholding Drakkar’s honor?”

“Oh, yes sir. It was Caleb-that’s the…belch doc…tor, who said we should have a competition, and the victor would enjoy the wench’s pleasure.”

This is getting interesting, Anthony thought. As Gabe seemed to have lost his train of thought, Anthony said, “Please continue.”

“Er-we decided to have a drinking contest. The major brought in two of his bullock mates, and we-Stephen, Julian and I-took them on. I won! I was the last man standing.”

Unable to hide his amusement, Anthony asked, “Was the lass worth it?”

“Oh, ah, well sir, the contest took so long Nancy got tired of waiting and went upstairs and bedded Caleb.”

“Well, damme,” burst out Anthony, laughing. “I hope the good doctor don’t get the pox.”

“Oh, no sir, he won’t,” Gabe replied all at once very seriously. “Caleb had a new condrum.”

“That was a good story; It sounds like you’ve had an eventful evening Gabe. Is that why you wanted to see me?”

“Oh, no sir,” said Gabe, realizing he hadn’t broached the subject that was the reason for his visit. “I just about forgot, sir,” Gabe said, now trying very hard to not weave on his feet as a gentle swell caused Drakkar to rise then settle, “The doctor wanted to know if he might take passage back to English Harbour with us. He has relations there he’s going to visit.”

Anthony, somewhat surprised Gabe would make such a request, stated, “I’m sure he’d be more comfortable if he obtained passage with some merchant vessel or coastal trader.”

“He can’t, sir.”

“He can’t?” frowned Anthony.

“No sir. He’s broke; he doesn’t have any money. I had to pay his tavern bill,” declared Gabe. All at once there was a loud shrieking sound, almost like a scream. on the deck overhead. Men could be heard cursing in loud excited voices, the sound of feet as the watch scurried around on deck, then more shouts.

“What the hell?” Anthony cried as he bounded from his chair, heading topside.

“It sounds like the doctor’s ape,” Gabe said nonchalantly. Anthony nopped dead in his tracks.

“His ape?”

“Aye, sir. A cute little bugger he is too, but somewhat difficult when he’s in his cups.”

“The monkey drinks?”

“It’s an ape, sir. Not a monkey. He’s an ape. But aye, sir, it drinks.”

***

The next morning Anthony was going over last evening’s story and subsequent events with Buck. Buck had been a guest of the first lieutenant from Eagle, and therefore had missed the excitement.

“I hope Lord Howe didn’t hear the damned commotion. Can you imagine his being awakened and training a glass on Drakkar only to see a damned ape being chased through the riggings by the watch?”

Buck couldn’t help but laugh, trying to imagine the sight. Anthony snorted. “Laugh if you will, sir. But when I’m sitting on the beach collecting half pay, I’ll have company-and that’s no error.”