Author's note: In earlier fics I've written the Pearl as a bark (two square-rigged masts, one fore-and-aft) but frankly after seeing the pictures of the replica they've built for the sequels it's unfortunately clear she's going to be a full-rigged ship with three square-rigged masts. So I've turned her into a ship from this fic on.
Chapter 3
Getting to Captain Jack Sparrow's ship proved to be somewhat harder than going out usually was. First everyone had to get ready, finding coats and hats and boots; Will had to harness the little pony to the family trap; Elizabeth fussed about small things and she and her husband had a short argument about nothing while Billy and Jack Sparrow stood by, watching. Eventually they were ready. Sparrow was tucked into the bottom of the trap and covered by blankets in the hope that nobody they passed would spot him.
The trap rattled away from Port Royal, down towards the sea. From under the blankets Jack Sparrow offered the occasional direction. They saw nobody, and when Billy looked out to sea the only vessels he saw were fishing boats.
After a journey of maybe fifteen minutes, the trap jarred its way down a slope and Jack Sparrow popped his head out from the blankets.
"Look t'ward the sea," he said to Billy, in a deep, serious tone. Billy did so, seeing nothing but chinks of blue between the leaves of the palm trees and the bushes that lined the path. "Keep looking," said the pirate.
He did so. The trap came around a corner and suddenly the undergrowth was clear - and there she was, resplendent in the small enclosed bay.
"The Black Pearl," said Sparrow, proudly and affectionately. "Bless 'er."
Billy watched the ship come closer, and as the trap came to a halt and he jumped down he noticed that the ship was not as perfect as she had looked to begin with. Her paintwork was battered, and the shortest of her three masts appeared to have been broken. Men were at work on deck and in the web of ropes stretching from deck to masthead.
Jack Sparrow put his fingers to his lips and let out two long piercing whistles. After a moment, the same sound came drifting back from the ship. The Turners watched as a boat was lowered into the water; soon it had pulled up on the shore, its prow crunching against the sand.
"Cap'n."
"Mr Hooper." Sparrow touched his hand to his hat in a salute to the pirate in the boat. "As you'll see we've some visitors. Mr William Turner, his fair lady Elizabeth, and young Master William Turner."
"Pleased t' meet you," said the pirate, gruffly but politely. "Hop in."
Sparrow did so, and helped Elizabeth into the little boat. She settled down in the bows and tucked her skirts around her, her eyes sparkling. Billy followed, and sat with Will in the stern. The two pirates took the middle thwart and each an oar, and pulled the boat swiftly towards the great ship at anchor.
Billy looked up at her as they got close, amazed at her bulk. She seemed to tower over them - and that was without accounting for her tall masts. Along her sides he could see gun ports and the snub noses of a row of cannon, each blackened with smoke. He imagined the guns being set off, perhaps in a battle with another ship, and wondered what the noise would be like.
The pirates shipped their oars as the little boat came alongside the Black Pearl. Each seized a painter dangling in the water, tied it quickly to the boat, and then Hooper caught a rope ladder that was cast down by a man on the ship. Sparrow climbed up, scaling the rungs easily and swinging over the side of the vessel.
Will went next, surprising Billy with his agility.
"Go on, sweetheart," said Elizabeth, smiling at him.
He caught the bottom of the ladder and hauled himself on to it, and then climbed up. At the top his father helped him over the high side of the ship, and Billy landed with his feet on the pitch-darkened deck.
A small group of pirates had gathered to greet their captain and the visitors. Billy's gaze fell first on them, but was a little disappointed to see that most of the men were dressed as any sailor and not in the flamboyant manner of Jack Sparrow. He looked up towards the rigging, his eyes running over the complicated tangle of ropes, and wondered which rope you pulled to hoist which sail.
Elizabeth was being helped over the rail, her skirts proving a slight hindrance. Eventually she made it, and smoothed them out. Jack Sparrow bowed slightly.
"Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Mrs Turner," he said.
"I'm not sure I like hearing those words," she returned, but smiling. "Barbossa said something remarkably similar."
"Did he? Then I'm just glad you came, 'Lizabeth. Better?"
"Rather."
"Well, Master Turner," said Sparrow, "do you like her?"
"Yes," said Billy, honestly. "It's bigger than I thought it would be." He caught sight of the pirate's face, and hastily amended: "I mean, she's bigger."
"Good lad. You're learning. Want the grand tour?"
Billy grinned. "Yes please!"
Sparrow turned a scowl on his crew. "What're you all starin' at, eh? There's work t'be done!"
"You could at least introduce the visitors, cap'n?" someone said.
"Turner," said Sparrow. "William, William, Elizabeth. Right. Now, back to work, or we'll end up having the Navy after us, savvy?"
The men scattered around the ship. Sparrow shook his head in exasperation. "Reckon I'm too soft," he muttered. "Now then. Let's start below and work up, shall we?"
He led the way down a set of steep stairs, and down another, and still one more - picking a lantern up on the way - and showed the Turners a vast hold stacked with barrels and boxes.
"Food. Swag. More o' the former than the latter at the moment."
Up they went again, back to the middle deck. Here there were two large cages.
"Remember this?" asked Sparrow.
"Yes," said Billy's parents.
Will walked to one of the cages and tried the door, which swung open. He stepped inside and stood there for a second, silently.
Closing the door there was a squeak and a rattle. Will frowned, and squinted at the ironwork. "This is rather rusty, Jack," he pointed out.
"Problem with iron and water," Sparrow said. "It does that. S'all right, we don't use them much. And we've found that if you clap someone in a brig they'll not try and get out - even if the door don't quite lock."
He turned on his heel, and led the way through to a room hung with hammocks in rows. It smelt dank and sweaty, and Elizabeth wrinkled her nose.
"Ever slept in a hammock, young Billy?" asked Sparrow.
"No."
"You ought t' try it. Much more comfy than you'd think." He bestowed a shiny grin on Billy, who returned the smile and found he was very much enjoying himself.
They left the sleeping-quarters and passed through the mess, equipped with long tables which had cunning edges to prevent plates from going flying in rough weather. Sparrow stuck his head into the galley to find out what the ship's cook was preparing for lunch, and emerged to announce that the men would be dining on fish caught that morning from the stern of the Black Pearl.
Next came the cabins, for the officers among the crew. Sparrow bade the Turners wait in the corridor while he went in to discover how his first mate, Gibbs, was faring after having been hit by a block during the storm. Billy listened to the voices from inside the cabin, while his parents fidgeted.
After a few moments Sparrow popped his head out of the cabin door.
"Seems he's well enough to see you. C'mon in."
Billy followed his parents into the cabin, where a man was lying on the bed with a large bandage wrapped round his head.
"Miss Elizabeth!" the man said. "Will Turner. And who's this?"
"I'm Billy," said Billy.
"Joshamee Gibbs, first mate o' the Pearl," the bandaged man introduced himself. "Looks like life's been lookin' after you, young Will."
"Not so young anymore," Will replied. "Sorry to hear about your head, Mr Gibbs."
"I'd be up and about now if it weren't for the surgeon Jack took on board last ship we took," said Gibbs, gruffly. "The man's ordered me to stay abed until the day arter tomorrow."
"We don't want you falling overboard," Jack Sparrow pointed out. "You'll be up when we sail, doubtless. Now stay here and rest, savvy? I need you in one piece."
"Aye, cap'n," said Gibbs, resigned to his fate.
They left him and continued on the tour. The next door Sparrow pushed open gave into a large, airy cabin.
"This is mine," he said.
"This was Barbossa's," said Elizabeth.
"Only temporarily," Sparrow corrected her. "Anyway, I chucked away most of his stuff, save for the valuables."
Billy wandered around the cabin, examining the bits and bobs that Sparrow had collected. The walls were covered in pictures and interesting-looking weapons - Will was also examining those with some curiosity - and piles of books covered the table in the centre of the cabin. A narrow bunk was neatly-made with a rough blanket. Various nautical instruments rested on top of the books on the table as well as on shelves on the walls.
Taking a curved dagger from its mount, Will tested the weight and balance and glanced over at Sparrow. "This is lovely."
"Moroccan," said the pirate. "Watch that, lad!"
Billy quickly put down the gilded pistol he had picked up, fearful of recrimination. But Sparrow merely crossed to him, stowed the gun away in a drawer, and smiled.
"It ain't loaded. But you've got to watch a pistol, young Turner; they've a mind to go off without you wantin' them too." He patted his own pair of pistols, tucked away in his tattered sash. "Seen enough?"
"I'm envious of your collection, Jack," Will said as they followed Sparrow up on deck. "I wish I had half the blades you have there."
"Advantages of travelling," returned Sparrow. "You could've come with me, you know, all those years ago."
Will looked at Elizabeth. "I know."
They climbed a set of steps to the highest point of the ship's deck, and Sparrow pointed out the wheel that steered her and the instruments which helped plot the right course. Above their heads men were banging away at the short mast with hammers.
"We're putting a jury rig on the mizzenmast," explained Sparrow. Billy wondered what a jury rig was, and decided the short mast closest to them must be the mizzenmast. "Means she'll be able to sail, but we'll have less canvas to play with than what we usually do," Sparrow clarified. "Know what sort o' vessel the Pearl is, Billy?"
"No sir."
"She's a ship," said Sparrow. "Three square-rigged masts. I've wondered whether to turn her into a bark, now an' then, but she sails well enough as she is." He looked up at the masts, fondly. "Fastest ship in the Caribbean, though she might'n't look it."
"James said there was a new ship coming out from Portsmouth soon," said Will.
Sparrow raised his eyebrows. "James, is he, now?"
"Oh, Jack!" Will said. "Sorry. Look, I know you don't like the commodore, but he's a decent enough man really. Anyway, she's supposed to be arriving within the month."
"What sort o' ship?" asked Sparrow.
"32 guns," put in Elizabeth. "He said they've built her for pirate-hunting. To sail close to the wind."
"Of course they have." Sparrow made a quick flicking motion with his wrist, as if putting the problem aside. "Let 'em come."
Will and Elizabeth exchanged yet another glance, and Billy fidgeted nearby. He hated it when his parents were being tense about something.
Sparrow clearly shared his views, because he moved suddenly and was off down the steps to the main deck of his ship. "Well, we can't be standing around all day. Will you be off or can you stay for somewhat to eat?"
Adjusting her hat, Elizabeth gave him a rueful smile. "We'll have to go, Jack. I promised my father I'd visit this afternoon."
"I have an order to finish," added Will.
"And the lad?" said Sparrow.
They all looked at Billy. He wished he dared ask his parents if he could stay, at least for a little while, and explore the ship properly, but he knew his mother's moods and she seemed set on going.
"How about he stays aboard this afternoon and t'night?" suggested Sparrow. "I'll fetch him home tomorrow morning. We're not going anywhere, not till that t'gallant's back up and the mizzen's ready."
Billy turned beseeching eyes on his parents. Somehow Sparrow had known exactly what he wanted.
"Oh, Jack …" began his mother.
"He really ought to be …" added his father.
"There's time enough for him to learn how to make a sword, or learn his letters," said Sparrow, winking at Billy. "One night." He paused. "Lad ought to see where his granddad spent so much time."
Ten minutes later Billy was, to his amazement, standing by the pirate captain at the rail of the Black Pearl as Hooper rowed his parents back ashore. He was not quite sure how Sparrow had persuaded them to allow him to stay on board for the night, but there he was, and there they were.
Sparrow turned to him with a grin.
"How'd you like to go aloft, lad?"