Chapter 10
"Shark stew, sir," said Billy, carefully putting the bowl down on the table in front of Jack Sparrow. "And the cook says there's preserved fruit for afterwards."
"Thanks," Sparrow said, picking up his spoon. He held it, poised, above the food, and looked up at Billy. "Sit down for a bit, lad, and talk to an old pirate while he eats."
"But the cook …"
"I'm captain aboard this ship, not Mr Lewis," Sparrow returned. "C'mon, sit down."
Billy pulled out a chair and sat down, leaning his elbows on the table. The captain took a mouthful of stew, chewing it thoughtfully.
"Good lookout today, lad," he said through the mouthful. "You seem t'have settled in nicely. Not that I ever doubted you would. Hooper speaks well of your work."
Beaming, Billy said, "thank you."
"Doin' better than the last cabin boy," added Sparrow. He dug his spoon into the bowl.
"Can I ask something, sir?" asked Billy, emboldened by Sparrow's cheerful mood.
"Go 'head," said the captain, waving his spoon in the air.
"Why me?" said Billy.
"Why not you?" returned Sparrow.
"Well," said Billy, "because of Mama and Papa, and Grandfather, and the commodore. I wanted to come, but I think they'll be looking for me."
"Of course they'll be lookin'," Sparrow agreed. "Wouldn't be much use as parents if they weren't, would they?" He swallowed his mouthful, and put his spoon down. "I wanted you 'cos I reckoned you'd be a good cabin boy," he said. "You seemed t' like it, that day we all came to visit. And me, I've got what you might call a nose for a good sailor. Couldn't abide the thought of you ending up a blacksmith like your dad, at least not without having tried the seafaring life."
Billy leaned his chin in his hands, and tried to decide how serious Sparrow was being. "If Papa comes to get me," he said, "I suppose I'll have to go with him."
"Why?" Sparrow asked. "When I were your age, I made me own choices."
"Yes, but I'm not you, am I, sir?" Billy said.
Sparrow scraped out his bowl. "Look, lad, if young William comes to fetch you, I won't stop you goin'. Particularly if he comes with bloody Norrington in tow and a ship full of Marines. I'm not that daft. But you'll have to decide on your own whether or not you want to go, savvy? Don't let him decide for you."
"All right." Billy slid off his chair and picked up the empty bowl. "Thank you, sir."
They arrived at Porto Rico the next afternoon, anchoring out in the wide bay off San Juan, a bustling town. Sparrow had ordered Portuguese colours to be flown from the stern of the Black Pearl, with the theory being that the Spanish colonists would be more friendly to a ship hailing from the shores of an ally than a pirate vessel.
Billy was allowed to go ashore with Lewis, the cook, to shop for supplies. With McRobb accompanying them to help carry the goods, they bought sacks of fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat and fish, and bread.
When night came, the crew piled into the Pearl's boats and headed for the town's taverns. Sparrow ordered Billy to stay aboard, along with Piper, saying San Juan was too dangerous at night for a boy.
"'Sides," he added, smoothing down his moustache, "when I was left aboard this ship as a lad I managed to scupper a plot that would've seen all our swag looted from us. But that was in Tortuga. Anyway, Billy, keep an eye on her, and on the doctor."
"What, I pray, is that supposed to mean?" Piper asked, arms folded. They were standing by the rail watching the pirates disembark.
"Just what it sounds like," said Sparrow cheerfully. "Have a good evening." He grinned at them, and climbed nimbly down into the last boat.
"Hmpf," said Piper, turning away.
Standing on tiptoe and leaning on the rail, Billy watched the splash of the oars fade into the night. Eventually they were gone, and he turned away.
Piper was pacing the deck, pausing every few steps and glaring at the sea. He glowered at Billy mid-pace.
"Do you think it's swim-able?" he asked, his heel scraping on the deck. "Would there be sharks?"
"What would you do if you got to shore?" Billy wondered.
"Go to the authorities. Maybe." He threw his hands in the air. "I can't really swim, anyway."
Billy suppressed a laugh. "Sorry, sir. It's just … do you hate it that much?"
Piper sighed, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "No, I don't. Though I would like some freedom. Ignore me, Billy; I am just frustrated. It doesn't help that there is a surprising lack of scurvy aboard this vessel."
"I'm going to climb the rigging," said Billy.
The water of the bay was sheltered, and there was barely a rock on the water as he climbed out on to the rail and began the ascent of the shrouds. As it was so calm, he went further than he had originally planned and ended up sitting on the cross trees, looking out at the lights of the town. He wondered what the crew was getting up to, in the taverns of San Juan.
After a while Billy caught himself yawning, and began the climb down to the deck. He was surprised, on reaching the fighting top, to find Piper sitting there with his legs over the edge, also gazing at the town.
"I thought I'd follow your lead and look for freedom aloft," the doctor said, with a smile. "Although I haven't got your head for heights."
Billy sat down next to him. "You should tell Captain Sparrow you can climb," he suggested. "He might ask you to help setting sail."
"Lord, no!" exclaimed Piper. "I would not be able to manage this when we're under way. I'll leave that to you sailors." He glanced over at Billy. "You're yawning."
"I'm going to bed now, sir," Billy said. "Good night."
"Sleep well."
Billy left the doctor still staring out over San Juan, and went to his hammock where he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
They stayed another day in the harbour, bringing on more supplies and carrying out a few small maintenance jobs. The day after that, when the cook, Piper and the carpenter had all declared they had enough in the way of food, medicine and other assorted essentials to last several more weeks, the Black Pearl set sail once more.
Sparrow had declared his intention to sail down to the Windward Islands, beating south in search of richly-laden merchant vessels weary after their long trek across the treacherous Atlantic. The crew, including Billy, were enthusiastic both at the thought of raiding some ships, and also of visiting islands they had not been to for a while.
"Met a lass on Dominica, I did," said McRobb thoughtfully, after Sparrow had announced the plan. "Bonny little thing, she were."
"It ain't like she'll remember you, man," cut in Hooper. "Billy, got a job for you."
"Maybe she will," Billy offered, sliding off the bench in the mess he was sitting on next to McRobb. "You never know."
"Turner!" Hooper called, and Billy hurried after the bo'sun.
The wind was fair over the next few days, and with her black royals set the Black Pearl raced south. They were out of sight of land, aiming for the best winds, and once again Billy was reminded of why he had joined the ship. The ship seemed to hum as she sliced through the blue waves, with the shrouds thrumming and the breeze playing a steady melody on the canvas of the sails.
During quieter moments he and some of the younger crewmembers listened as Sparrow or Gibbs taught the basics of navigation by sun and stars. Craning over charts, they tried to work out where they were and how far it might be to the nearest island. Sparrow explained how to watch out for approaching storms or changes in the weather, and brought out his treasured barometer for inspection.
"Took this off an Italian merchant," he said, tapping the delicate glass. "It's a clever little thing. Bloody expensive though, so don't drop it, eh?"
Billy watched the thin line of precious quicksilver in the bulb, and marvelled at it.
But the barometer did not change, and the wind remained constant. The days passed, each one rolling into the other, and the men were starting to mutter that there would be no pickings. Billy did not much care; he was still liking being at sea too much to mind that there was no action.
One morning, however, things changed. He came up on deck after a good night's sleep to find sails on the horizon and the morning watch preparing grappling irons. Marty grinned at Billy.
"We got ourselves a ship," he said, gesturing towards the other vessel. "And this one'll be fun."