Revenge of the Fox

Chapter 16

The new day dawned bright and clear as the Pearl rode at anchor offshore of Crooked Island. The mood was tense as the four men, Jack, Will, Joseph and Norrington boarded the small boat for their trip ashore. They were lowered to the water's surface, and Joseph picked up the oars. Jack studied the roughly drawn map and checked his compass (the one that points north). As they bottomed out on the sandy beach, the four men jumped out and pulled the boat further onto the sand. Taking a good look around the deserted beach, Jack said, "All right, gents, looks like we head that way," gesturing to a small clump of palm trees a few hundred feet from the water's edge. With Jack studying the map and Will counting off strides, they soon found themselves in a small clearing several hundred yards from the beach. Jack frowned looking at the map again. "This should be the right place," he said dubiously.

Joseph was the one who found the marker. A simple wooden cross leaned against a pile of rock at one edge of the clearing. "It looks like a grave," Joseph said in an unemotional voice.

"Can't be one of the women," said Will in a falsely hearty tone. "He wouldn't have had time to set up his goose chase if he'd come here after the kidnapping. It must be someone else."

"We'd better find out who," said Norrington distastefully. "I'm sure this is the clue we need."

"Well then, let's get to it, mates," Jack said resignedly.

The four men began lifting rocks and setting them aside. After several minutes work they started to uncover the body. This body appeared to be of a man, though it was difficult to tell as it was badly decomposed. The smell was horrendous. "This is probably what we want," said Norrington, lifting a leather bound book from its resting place on the dead man's chest. Tucked into a piece of string tied around the book was a scrap of paper with a crude drawing of a sparrow.

Jack took the book, stripped off the string and opened it. "It's the ship's log from a ship called the Lady Fortuna," he said scanning the first several pages.

Will asked, "Isn't that the name of the ship that Reynard took over?"

Jack nodded. "This poor bloke must have been the previous captain. I guess marooning isn't finite enough for our friend Reynard." He flipped over a page in the log. "Lord Peter Marlby." He flipped a few more pages. "The log ends abruptly about midway through the voyage across the ocean. That must have been when the mutiny happened. Ah, here we go," he said turning to the last page. "A new set of coordinates and another map."

"Where this time?" Joseph asked.

"Not too far from the look of it, still in the Bahamas" Jack answered. "Looks like a small island just off Cat Island."

"Cat Island?" Joseph asked.

Jack shrugged. "The locals sometimes call it Obeah Island. It's a bit north of here."

"Well, let's cover this poor bastard back up and get moving then," said Will, picking up a rock and replacing it on the body.

Norrington also picked up a rock and started the grisly task of reburying Lord Marlby. "Sparrow, may I suggest we take time for a bath before going back to the ship? We all stink of decaying corpse."

"No arguments here, mate," said Jack. "We've time for a swim."

--

"Mrs. Sparrow!" Gwen turned at the call and saw Reynard walking toward her, escorting a young man of perhaps 16 or 17 years old. The lad was holding his left arm, and had blood smeared on his shirt. "I understand you served as physician aboard the Black Pearl?"

"Yes," Gwen replied.

"Good. Ralf here cut his arm rather badly. Can you patch him up for us?"

Gwen took the lad's arm and looked at the cut. "It will need some stitches." She looked up at Reynard. "I will need a needle, thread, water, clean rags and some wine. May we use your cabin?"

"Of course, my dear. I'll see to it you have the supplies you need."

It took several minutes to assemble the things she asked for, but soon she was ready. "Why don't you take off your shirt and sit down?" Gwen said with a smile. Flushing, the boy complied. Taking a rag, she dipped it in the basin of water and began sponging the blood from the wound. "How did you manage to do this?"

"There was a nail sticking out of a cask in the cargo hold," mumbled Ralf. "I slipped and fell against it."

"Have you been a sailor on the Vixen for long?"

"I joined the ship in England, ma'am."

"In England?" Gwen smiled charmingly. "I've never been there. Some day I'd like to go. Is this your first trip to the Caribbean?"

"Aye, ma'am."

"How do you like it?"

"It's beautiful and no mistake, ma'am."

Gwen poured some wine onto a rag. "This is going to hurt," she warned. Ralf flinched and hissed in his breath when she wiped the wound down. "There," she said, laying down the rag and picking up the needle. She smiled again. "This will hurt too. It'll be easier for you if you talk to me about something. It will help keep your mind off what I'm doing."

"Aye, ma'am," said Ralf nervously. "We're making good time," he blurted out "We should make Nassau in three more days."

"Nassau?" Gwen fought to keep her voice steady and only politely interested. "Is that where we're headed?"

"Aye, ma'am. First to Nassau and then to a little island just south of New Providence."

"New Providence is a lovely island isn't it?" Gwen said cautiously. "I've been there a few times. My husband sells cargo in Nassau from time to time."

"Aye, ma'am. All the pirates do, I'm told."

"Ah, so you know who my husband is?"

"I've never met him, ma'am, but I've heard stories."

Gwen smiled, "What stories have you heard?" As Ralf rambled on telling some legend that bore little resemblance to the truth, Gwen's mind turned over the facts she'd just learned. They were headed to Nassau, a port city on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. Nassau rivaled Tortuga as a haven for pirates. And then to a little island just south of the main island? That was probably where Reynard planned on springing whatever trap he'd set for Jack and the others.

Ralf came to the end of his tale, and Gwen smiled at him again. "How long will we be staying in Nassau, do you know?"

"Just briefly ma'am. I believe the Captain wants to leave the women there."

"Oh? All four of us?"

"I couldn't say, ma'am."

"Well that would be fine. I know several people there it would be pleasant to see again," Gwen lied pleasantly. She tended to avoid Nassau as much as she avoided Tortuga, staying aboard ship the whole time they were in port. She finished stitching and picked up the rag to wipe the wound down with wine again.

The lad yelped when the wine hit his raw flesh. "Sorry, ma'am," he said

"My fault," Gwen said, "I should have warned you I was going to do that. Well," she said brightly, "just a bandage and you'll be fine. I'll take another look at it tomorrow and see how it's healing."

"Thank you ma'am," he said nervously. "I hope I wasn't speaking out of turn. The Captain might not have wanted me to say anything about going to Nassau."

Gwen smiled broadly. "Don't worry, Ralf. I won't tell him you told me."

--