Four
Andy I finally got Jack out of the tavern and onto the berth where The Pearl had been bound. Of course, we arrived late: too late. The Black Pearl had set course and was leaving the shores, its sails black clouds in the darkening sky. "The bloody bastard!" My brother yelled, seeing his ship slowly becoming smaller in the night. "Jack! Don't worry; we'll get 'er back." "Why is The Pearl gone?!" He questioned, knowing well the answer. Will was at his other side and stepped back as he was almost hit in the head by a strenuous motion made by Jack's left hand. He seemed weary, and it appeared time to construct some sort of plan. I had some clue to what Jack had in mind, but left it being unsaid 'till the opportune moment...or at least until the time when Jack could say it himself; I was waiting for my brother to become even remotely sober before we discussed anything of such delicacy as to what we were going to do.
* * *
I'd waited three hours, which was, for me, too long a wait. Jack was finally clear-headed enough to speak with sense enough to make sense...if that, in its own turn makes any sense at all. So, back to the direct point. Jack and Will were sitting on the pier talking, Jack swinging his legs over the edge and looking down at the water. "We've got to devise a plan of some sort, or else we're gettin' nowhere. I mean, we have got to get a boat—I mean ship—so we at least have some cover." Will was saying. He was right, too. We had to come up with something. Jack seemed not to be listening at first, but then looked suddenly up as if struck be a bolt of lightning. "D'ya think the temporary captain o' The Pearl would trade 'er for whatever we steal... seeing as we get something fine?" "No. Never." I intersected in the conversation uninvited to, but just the same, I did. "Not unless he's the brainless son of a pig we all hope he is." "What're the chances of that?" Jack asked after an awkward pause, swaying, and turning to recognize me. I considered a moment, but then realized the truth. "One in a million, if we're lucky." Dusk had fallen, and by the time anyone had come up with an idea, the others were already asleep, Jack was the first to fall asleep, then Will. I shook my head at the two of them as the dark night began to take me over and my lids slowly weighted. I especially was humored by Jack who'd began using Will's shoulder as a pillow and would mutter the occasional 'and really bad eggs' or 'but why is the rum gone?'. Once or twice, in his dreary state of sleep and crazed, random questionings of the dark, I heard my brother ask the night 'why is The Pearl gone?' which was usually followed by 'where's The Pearl?'
Andy I finally got Jack out of the tavern and onto the berth where The Pearl had been bound. Of course, we arrived late: too late. The Black Pearl had set course and was leaving the shores, its sails black clouds in the darkening sky. "The bloody bastard!" My brother yelled, seeing his ship slowly becoming smaller in the night. "Jack! Don't worry; we'll get 'er back." "Why is The Pearl gone?!" He questioned, knowing well the answer. Will was at his other side and stepped back as he was almost hit in the head by a strenuous motion made by Jack's left hand. He seemed weary, and it appeared time to construct some sort of plan. I had some clue to what Jack had in mind, but left it being unsaid 'till the opportune moment...or at least until the time when Jack could say it himself; I was waiting for my brother to become even remotely sober before we discussed anything of such delicacy as to what we were going to do.
* * *
I'd waited three hours, which was, for me, too long a wait. Jack was finally clear-headed enough to speak with sense enough to make sense...if that, in its own turn makes any sense at all. So, back to the direct point. Jack and Will were sitting on the pier talking, Jack swinging his legs over the edge and looking down at the water. "We've got to devise a plan of some sort, or else we're gettin' nowhere. I mean, we have got to get a boat—I mean ship—so we at least have some cover." Will was saying. He was right, too. We had to come up with something. Jack seemed not to be listening at first, but then looked suddenly up as if struck be a bolt of lightning. "D'ya think the temporary captain o' The Pearl would trade 'er for whatever we steal... seeing as we get something fine?" "No. Never." I intersected in the conversation uninvited to, but just the same, I did. "Not unless he's the brainless son of a pig we all hope he is." "What're the chances of that?" Jack asked after an awkward pause, swaying, and turning to recognize me. I considered a moment, but then realized the truth. "One in a million, if we're lucky." Dusk had fallen, and by the time anyone had come up with an idea, the others were already asleep, Jack was the first to fall asleep, then Will. I shook my head at the two of them as the dark night began to take me over and my lids slowly weighted. I especially was humored by Jack who'd began using Will's shoulder as a pillow and would mutter the occasional 'and really bad eggs' or 'but why is the rum gone?'. Once or twice, in his dreary state of sleep and crazed, random questionings of the dark, I heard my brother ask the night 'why is The Pearl gone?' which was usually followed by 'where's The Pearl?'
