Chapter Fifteen
Bill had prepared four rowing boats, hidden cleverly in the rotting boat house, full of the weapons and supplies needed for the voyage. The group heaved them down the damp sand, with little difficulty, and clambered in pushing off from the beach. There was going to be a fight, that was obvious, the merchants would not give up their ship without one. But it was Penn's job to disable the bell and lights to stop the crew calling for help.
As Bill rowed, Jack pulled out his sword, and watched it glisten in the light of the crescent moon. He then, grabbed a rope and began to knot it at one end, testing the strength as he pulled it in opposite directions. Bill watched him with interest.
As they arrived at the stern if the ship Jack swung the rope and it knotted around the wooden rails. He tested it with his weight, it held.
He held it taunt for the men to clamber up. Bill pulled himself up followed by Barbossa, Jack was last. As he climbed on to the deck, the fight had already started. The crew were fighting strongly but no match for Barbossa's miscreants. Jack drew his sword and began to fight. He wasn't too keen on killing his opponents, commandeering a ship was a crime worthy of hanging, but murdering a crew and then commandeering a ship was worthy of several hangings.
Eventually with half of the Pearl's crew dead and the other half injured they retreated to the rowing boats and rowed back to shore. Meanwhile Jack acquainted himself with the wheel of the Pearl, gently curessing it with his ringed fingers. Barbossa watched. He roared orders to his men, and they jumped into action. it wasn't long before the ship began to move away from the docks. They made good time, and eventually got out of harm's way.
Bill was quickly bandaging a wounded arm, there was a deep cut in his left upper arm. One crew member had lost an eye, and many others had slight injuries. Jack had a head wound, and it continued to bleed, covering his black hair in a red sheen.
Bill watched with concern, as Jack ignored his bleeding head. He grabbed a cloth and tied it round Jack's head, it had the appearance of a home-made bandanna, quickly turning from white to red. In fact Jack wore his red bandanna in memory of that fateful night, in the memory of commandeering the Pearl.
As they continued the port got smaller and smaller, and eventually disappeared from sight. Bill gave a sigh of relief, as he pulled the bandage on his arm tighter, to stop the bleeding.
Barbossa had already started on the rum supplies in celebration of their victory. Jack was spinning the wheel around in glee, making the ship rock from side to side. And the crew had sparked into action, attending to the sails, deck and basically checking the ship over to ensure it was in working order.
Barbossa handed Jack a bottle.
"Well done, mate." Jack said.
"Aye we did well, tonight." Barbossa grinned. "I see us being the masters of this 'ere ocean."
"Take what you can." Jack said, as he knocked his bottle against Barbossa's.
"Give nothin' back." Barbossa said in reply.
The next day Jack knew the ship from back to front, he had got to grips with the layout of the ship and almost with Barbossa's crew. Bill was still sceptical, but he admitted that the Pearl was a wonderful ship. The first big ship Jack had ever taken, and what a ship it was. The only thing that spoilt it was the presence of Barbossa, standing watching as Jack took control of his ship.
Bill rolled his eyes as he pulled a handful of gold from his pocket. He'd found it in one of the cabin's, quite a supply of it. he turned the coins over and over in his filthy hands, examining the engraving. It was like no coin he had seen before, there was something strange about it, sinister even. He shoved the gold quickly back in his pocket as Jack approached. No point in sharing his find. "Jack."
Jack nodded. "So what do you think o' the ship?"
"She'll do." He said, with a grin.
"Yeah, s'ppose she will, for the time being anyway."
At that point Barbossa walked past with a bottle in his hand.
"You should stop him, before he drinks are supplies dry." Bill muttered.
"I take it you don't like 'im."
"I've nothin' 'gainst him personally, just he's a big headed git. He thinks he should be captain, Jack, not you."
"Oh Bill, Barbossa is 'armless." Jack said.
"Well, what bout how he plays young Rosie round?"
"Rosie is married, in her words 'she's made her bed, now she must lie on it.' It's her own fault, if she's un'appy wit' the Swann then it's her problem."
"It use to be your problem."
"Yeah, well 'er becoming Lady Swann kinda stopped all that."
Bill grinned. "Not jealous are we?"
"Jealous? Of that pompous git? He may have his money, his title, his fancy house, his popularity."
"Rosie."
"But you know what, I have something he doesn't have. Freedom. I can do what I like, when I like." Jack said, getting up and walking after Barbossa.
Bill shook his head in disbelief.
"Hey Barbossa, easy on the booze, that has to last us."
"Since when did you become so serious?"
"Since Bill mentioned it." He took the bottle from Barbossa hand and took a swig from it. He then gulped the rest of the rum down in one go, before tossing the bottle out into the wild waves.
"I don't think he's cut out for this life."
"What? Bill? Nah, he's good."
"Yeah, but he's no pirate."
At that point Bill took the gold once more from his pocket, he was attracted to it's shine, it allured him like no treasure had before. He had to get more, more, more.
The days at sea began to grow tedious, well for Bill anyway. Don't get me wrong, he loved the sea as much as Jack did. But Bill was one for action, adventure. He liked nothing better then a battle on the high waves, but for over two weeks they had seen no sign of life, with the exception of the life under the blue sea. And so he spent his days, drinking and eating more then his share, practising sword play and of course searching the ship from head to bottom for the gold. He found no more then the five pieces from the cabin. And so he would have to be content with them. he didn't tell the others, Bill was not one for sharing.
And so the voyage continued until supplies began to run low and Jack suggested stopping at a near by island, the isle o' Rhydon.
Bill was eager to step foot back on land, to see other humans then those he had been stuck with for the last fortnight. But if he had known what was to happen on Rhydon Island he would have urged Jack to continue, and not to look back. But he did not know, and nor did Jack. So the captain guided his ship into the busy harbour, anchored it and ran out the rowing boats to go on shore. Bill, Jack and Barbossa made up three of the five that went on shore. They tied up the boats at the busy harbour, and walked across the sandy beach, which was covered with children playing in the sand, and dressed up 'pirates' digging for lost treasure.
Jack led them in the direction he thought was the town. They need to get their supplies and leave the island as quickly as possible. It was Bill who finally cam up with an idea.
"Wouldn't it be better if we split up? Meet back at the docks in say an hour, once we know where everything is?"
"Jus' what I was thinking." Jack replied. He set off down the narrow cobbled street, gently brushing his hands against the mud walls on either side. Eventually the side street joined the main market and Jack was lost in the crowd.
He was just getting his bearings when a trumpet sounded, and the people of the market began to scramble to the sides, leaving a wide gap in the middle. Jack was about to step out when a woman pulled him back.
Bill had prepared four rowing boats, hidden cleverly in the rotting boat house, full of the weapons and supplies needed for the voyage. The group heaved them down the damp sand, with little difficulty, and clambered in pushing off from the beach. There was going to be a fight, that was obvious, the merchants would not give up their ship without one. But it was Penn's job to disable the bell and lights to stop the crew calling for help.
As Bill rowed, Jack pulled out his sword, and watched it glisten in the light of the crescent moon. He then, grabbed a rope and began to knot it at one end, testing the strength as he pulled it in opposite directions. Bill watched him with interest.
As they arrived at the stern if the ship Jack swung the rope and it knotted around the wooden rails. He tested it with his weight, it held.
He held it taunt for the men to clamber up. Bill pulled himself up followed by Barbossa, Jack was last. As he climbed on to the deck, the fight had already started. The crew were fighting strongly but no match for Barbossa's miscreants. Jack drew his sword and began to fight. He wasn't too keen on killing his opponents, commandeering a ship was a crime worthy of hanging, but murdering a crew and then commandeering a ship was worthy of several hangings.
Eventually with half of the Pearl's crew dead and the other half injured they retreated to the rowing boats and rowed back to shore. Meanwhile Jack acquainted himself with the wheel of the Pearl, gently curessing it with his ringed fingers. Barbossa watched. He roared orders to his men, and they jumped into action. it wasn't long before the ship began to move away from the docks. They made good time, and eventually got out of harm's way.
Bill was quickly bandaging a wounded arm, there was a deep cut in his left upper arm. One crew member had lost an eye, and many others had slight injuries. Jack had a head wound, and it continued to bleed, covering his black hair in a red sheen.
Bill watched with concern, as Jack ignored his bleeding head. He grabbed a cloth and tied it round Jack's head, it had the appearance of a home-made bandanna, quickly turning from white to red. In fact Jack wore his red bandanna in memory of that fateful night, in the memory of commandeering the Pearl.
As they continued the port got smaller and smaller, and eventually disappeared from sight. Bill gave a sigh of relief, as he pulled the bandage on his arm tighter, to stop the bleeding.
Barbossa had already started on the rum supplies in celebration of their victory. Jack was spinning the wheel around in glee, making the ship rock from side to side. And the crew had sparked into action, attending to the sails, deck and basically checking the ship over to ensure it was in working order.
Barbossa handed Jack a bottle.
"Well done, mate." Jack said.
"Aye we did well, tonight." Barbossa grinned. "I see us being the masters of this 'ere ocean."
"Take what you can." Jack said, as he knocked his bottle against Barbossa's.
"Give nothin' back." Barbossa said in reply.
The next day Jack knew the ship from back to front, he had got to grips with the layout of the ship and almost with Barbossa's crew. Bill was still sceptical, but he admitted that the Pearl was a wonderful ship. The first big ship Jack had ever taken, and what a ship it was. The only thing that spoilt it was the presence of Barbossa, standing watching as Jack took control of his ship.
Bill rolled his eyes as he pulled a handful of gold from his pocket. He'd found it in one of the cabin's, quite a supply of it. he turned the coins over and over in his filthy hands, examining the engraving. It was like no coin he had seen before, there was something strange about it, sinister even. He shoved the gold quickly back in his pocket as Jack approached. No point in sharing his find. "Jack."
Jack nodded. "So what do you think o' the ship?"
"She'll do." He said, with a grin.
"Yeah, s'ppose she will, for the time being anyway."
At that point Barbossa walked past with a bottle in his hand.
"You should stop him, before he drinks are supplies dry." Bill muttered.
"I take it you don't like 'im."
"I've nothin' 'gainst him personally, just he's a big headed git. He thinks he should be captain, Jack, not you."
"Oh Bill, Barbossa is 'armless." Jack said.
"Well, what bout how he plays young Rosie round?"
"Rosie is married, in her words 'she's made her bed, now she must lie on it.' It's her own fault, if she's un'appy wit' the Swann then it's her problem."
"It use to be your problem."
"Yeah, well 'er becoming Lady Swann kinda stopped all that."
Bill grinned. "Not jealous are we?"
"Jealous? Of that pompous git? He may have his money, his title, his fancy house, his popularity."
"Rosie."
"But you know what, I have something he doesn't have. Freedom. I can do what I like, when I like." Jack said, getting up and walking after Barbossa.
Bill shook his head in disbelief.
"Hey Barbossa, easy on the booze, that has to last us."
"Since when did you become so serious?"
"Since Bill mentioned it." He took the bottle from Barbossa hand and took a swig from it. He then gulped the rest of the rum down in one go, before tossing the bottle out into the wild waves.
"I don't think he's cut out for this life."
"What? Bill? Nah, he's good."
"Yeah, but he's no pirate."
At that point Bill took the gold once more from his pocket, he was attracted to it's shine, it allured him like no treasure had before. He had to get more, more, more.
The days at sea began to grow tedious, well for Bill anyway. Don't get me wrong, he loved the sea as much as Jack did. But Bill was one for action, adventure. He liked nothing better then a battle on the high waves, but for over two weeks they had seen no sign of life, with the exception of the life under the blue sea. And so he spent his days, drinking and eating more then his share, practising sword play and of course searching the ship from head to bottom for the gold. He found no more then the five pieces from the cabin. And so he would have to be content with them. he didn't tell the others, Bill was not one for sharing.
And so the voyage continued until supplies began to run low and Jack suggested stopping at a near by island, the isle o' Rhydon.
Bill was eager to step foot back on land, to see other humans then those he had been stuck with for the last fortnight. But if he had known what was to happen on Rhydon Island he would have urged Jack to continue, and not to look back. But he did not know, and nor did Jack. So the captain guided his ship into the busy harbour, anchored it and ran out the rowing boats to go on shore. Bill, Jack and Barbossa made up three of the five that went on shore. They tied up the boats at the busy harbour, and walked across the sandy beach, which was covered with children playing in the sand, and dressed up 'pirates' digging for lost treasure.
Jack led them in the direction he thought was the town. They need to get their supplies and leave the island as quickly as possible. It was Bill who finally cam up with an idea.
"Wouldn't it be better if we split up? Meet back at the docks in say an hour, once we know where everything is?"
"Jus' what I was thinking." Jack replied. He set off down the narrow cobbled street, gently brushing his hands against the mud walls on either side. Eventually the side street joined the main market and Jack was lost in the crowd.
He was just getting his bearings when a trumpet sounded, and the people of the market began to scramble to the sides, leaving a wide gap in the middle. Jack was about to step out when a woman pulled him back.