CHAPTER EIGHT
ABOARD THE BLACK PEARL
While Elizabeth was speaking with Governor Norrington, Samantha, along with Nicholas, Commodore Jack Sparrow, Ana Maria, and the rest of the Black Pearl crew were boarding the Black Pearl and the newer, recently commandeered El Tigre Fiero, a Spanish ship that the crew had taken the day before. Ana Maria had been appointed captain of the El Tigre, because Jack had sworn never to leave the Black Pearl again. Nicholas, Samantha, Mr. Cotton (the man with the parrot) and a few other crew members accompanied Jack on the Black Pearl, while the rest, joined Ana Maria on the El Tigre Fiero. Samantha was taken aback at the state of the Black Pearl. It's sails were tattered, with huge holes in them, and yet somehow, it was the fastest ship in the Caribbean.
Nicholas took over the job of helmsman, using a strange looking compass to steer the ship in the right direction, and Jack climbed up into the rigging to the crow's nest.
"Weigh anchor Commodore?" shouted Nicholas
"Aye Nicholas. Ye have it on an even keel. I'll be up here if you need anything." Jack then began swinging back and forth singing a tune unrecognizable to Samantha.
"Does he always act like that?" Samantha asked Nicholas.
"Aye he's always three sheets to the wind." he said. "Sailor talk." he added when he saw her look of confusion. "It means he's always thoroughly drunk... I'll have to teach you how to speak like a pirate if you're going to be on board. You'll have to learn to understand us." he laughed. "For instance," he began. "Abaft... it means the rear of the ship. To have something at an even keel means to have something under control." he said. Samantha nodded. "Hold this for a second." he said, handing her the compass. She looked down. The arrow was not pointing north.
"How can we sail to an island that no one can find with a compass that doesn't work?" Samantha asked Nicholas. Nicholas smiled at her.
"Aye, that compass doesn't point north, but we're not trying to find north, are we?" he winked at her, turning the wheel two full spins to the left. "Anchors aweigh Commodore!" he called above to his father. Jack waved to him in acknowledgement and continued with his song. Nicholas shook his head, embarrassed by his father's antics.
"Nicholas!" Jack called. "Sing with me lad!"
"Nay. I'm busy." he said, turning his back.
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! We're rascals and scoundrels, thieves and knaves drink up me 'earties yo ho!" Jack sang, louder than before. "We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs drink up me 'earties yo ho!"
"I know that song. My mother taught it to me when I was younger."
"Your mother taught it to my father." Nicholas said. "I don't think he's stopped singing it since." Samantha giggled and watched Jack swing to and fro.
"He's just as I imagined him to be." she said.
"You must have an extremely warped imagination." Nicholas told her. "Commodore! Belay that ruddy song. Avast!" Jack continued singing, even louder than before.
"Really BAD EGGS! Ooh..." At this, Jack lost his footing and almost fell. Nicholas sighed in defeat and hung his head. "This is going to be one long journey."