Chapter 12

Weeks passed, but Tabitha had lost all since of time. There were murmurs about the ship's crew that they only had a week left before reaching America, but she didn't dare believe it. The month and a half that she had been aboard the dreadful Gulligan had seem

more like a year. Tabitha had spent most of her time in her ship's cabin, sleeping or just twiddling her thumbs.

One day she had begun to carol a song, "When I look back on these days I look and see your face...." Many times she would just sit and sing to pass the time away, however, she never knew that she had listeners. She continued to whisper the words, "There you'll be.."

Just as there was silence the door to the compartment slid open with a thump. Tabitha wailed with fright as some sort of animal came barreling in along with a figure of a man. She leapt up onto the bed as the figures finally came to a halt on the wooden floor. "Who are you? What are you doing in here?" she exclaimed, reaching over to pick up a candlestick from the nightstand. She waved the candlestick in the air in defense.

The form finally got to his feet, warily brushing himself off. His lanky, though muscular body stood at around six foot and appeared to be no older than 16.

She flinched and raised the candlestick again at his sudden motion of a handshake. He quickly retracted his hand and stuffed it in his pant's pocket. "Um.. I'm Jacob.. uh I stay next door."

The ball of fur that was once curled up at his feet hopped up onto the bed. Tabitha one again brandished the candlestick. It let out a strangled meow and jumped into the boy's arms. Jacob's fingers ran through its pearly white, long hair. "And this is Ebony, the ship's cat."

Tabitha's eyes sparkled, but she remained in stance of defense. "What are you doing in my cabin?"

"Well, er... we were listening to you singing just outside of your door and then.. well, I lost my balance and ended up here..."

She raised her hands in understanding and carefully set the candlestick back down.

"You sounded bored," Jacob said.

"I am. There's nothing to do here," she sighed.

"Well, we're almost to America, since that's where you're headed."

"How'd you know that?" she asked.

"There's not one person on this ship that doesn't know of the Spaniard, Tabitha L`etoile," he smiled.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "I knew that that Mr. Pearsons couldn't be trusted. But you know, I was actually born in France. My parents were French."

Ebony, the cat, got down from Jacob's arms and climbed back up on the bed. He hesitantly neared Tabitha. The cat was relieved to see that she had overcome her spastic quality.

"Yeah, uh, can you speak French?" he asked.

"Sure, as you can see, I speak English. But I also know Spanish, Latin, and a bit of Portuguese. Oh.. yes, and even Gypsian. I had a cousin who was a Gypsy."

"Wow, I can hardly speak English," he chuckled.

"What? But you are an American!"

"Yes, but in America there are different versions of English. It depends on where ya live. I can't speak what ya call 'proper English.'"

"I never knew that," Tabitha replied, truly amazed.

"Yep!" Jacob glanced to the clock on the nightstand. "6:30! Oh no! I am supposed to be helping prepare dinner. I'd better be going." He jumped up and headed for the door.

Tabitha also got on her feet, "Wait! what about your cat?"

"You keep her," Jacob smiled. "I'll be back when I bring you supper."

"Er.. okay," Tabitha shrugged.

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