The marketplace was thrumming with overcrowded populace. Jade had to grip Jack's sleeve to avoid being dragged away in the monkey-puzzle movement of bodies. He had a bizarre intuition for knowing where to move, as though it was a well-practised dance. People made it easy for him to pass, although having a pointy hat helped.
"So this man said 'e'd 'elp us get t' th' next ship headin' f'r England?" she asked. "Yeh speak Spanish?"
"Sí, señorita. Sorprendido?"
Miss Starfall rolled her eyes and followed him down a cobbled street. They passed under a white archway to the front of an unkempt house where a middle-aged man was tending to the horses that stood before a great wagon. He turned to Sparrow with a moustachioed smile.
"Ah, señor Sparrow, estaba empezando a pensar que tendría que dejar sin ti." The Spaniard gave Jade a twinkling stare. "Y quién es esta bella dama?"
Jack glanced from her to the smuggler and waved his hand dismissively. "Nadie de consecuencia."
The man tapped the side of his nose knowingly and indicated to the wagon. He pulled aside the vast dark sheet that covered it and revealed the contents. Four immense wooden carvings stood within: a cockerel; a swan; a grouse, and a pelican. Jack raised an eyebrow but before he could comment, the Spaniard rapped his knuckles on one of the birds, making a hollow clunking. The pirate nodded to him with impressed gratitude and clambered into the wagon, Jade following suit.
"What are yeh doin'?" she enquired as Jack began to tug at the body of the grouse. He gave it a twist and pulled off the bird's top half, revealing the space inside.
"When we come to any checkpoints, we 'ide in one o' these." Sparrow examined the removed top. "'S even got air 'oles in the beak."
The floor rattled and jerked beneath them, announcing the start of the voyage. At the town's exit, the two of them clambered inside a wooden bird each and waited until the wagon had been cleared to move on. Once half an hour had passed, they re-emerged and sat at opposite sides of the wagon, stretching their legs after the cramped conditions. Comforted by the steady travelling, they resolved to get some rest.
Jade remained awake as the wagon rumbled on, listening to the clopping of the equine hooves. She plucked at frayed threads on her breeches, grimacing at the dampness they still held. Jack had been considerate enough to bring her possessions and had stashed them in the cave before he went on his rescue mission, bringing forth the realisation that he had in fact had a more solid plan than she thought. The weathered dress had fetched a reasonable amount of money with which to bargain their passage.
A noise from the other end of the wagon snatched her attention. She stiffened and whispered urgently, "Jack!"
"Mm…" he murmured.
"Jack! One'f the birds's movin'!"
The Captain stirred and focused upon her. "Eh?" He followed her wary gaze to the carving of the cockerel. Its top slowly swivelled and was set aside with incredible grace. A man dressed in black stepped out from the bird's base.
"Buenas tardes, good lady, good sir." His face was masked from the bridge of the nose upward and he wore a black gaucho hat embellished with golden filigree. At his waist the filigree resurfaced to decorate a smart cummerbund, complimenting the shining rapier at his side. "Pardon my intrusion."
"Who are you?" Sparrow asked suspiciously.
"A traveller, like yourselves," said the stranger. He walked toward them and smiled at Jade. He looked to the pirate. "Your lady is quite beautiful. Strangely dressed but a face like hers should rightfully be admired by any art-loving Don, que no?"
"Eh, I en't his -."
"Needing similar discretion on your journey, ay?" Jack interrupted. "Welcome aboard."
The stranger beamed. "But surely it is I who must welcome you? After all, I was here in the first instance."
"But of course." Sparrow forced a smile. The air about him seemed to congeal with dislike. He gritted his teeth at the sight of Jade staring at the new arrival in all his mysterious glory. Already there were too many rascals with brown eyes in comfortable proximity.
"Señorita, permit me to sit beside you?"
Suppressing a groan, Jack tilted his hat over his eyes and attempted to sleep. He drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the silky drone of the stranger's voice as he regaled Miss Starfall passionately with tales of adventure.
Hours went by until at last the wagon came to a stop and the driver called, "Hemos llegado!"
"Ah," said the ornate stranger, "It is time for me to take my leave." He pinched the brim of his hat and nodded to Jade, before acknowledging the stirring pirate. "I am sorry you had to miss my stories, señor. Perhaps you would have enjoyed some of them? Particularly, I fancy, you would have liked the one I have not told, concerning the swan that laid a diamond?" At these words, the stranger brought out the shining jewel in question, balanced upon his gloved palm. He grinned devilishly. "Another time, perhaps?"
Jack gawped. Both he and Jade leapt to their feet, but the man made a swift escape. Sparrow lifted up the sheet to see where the stranger had gone and stared in reluctant amazement as the stylish Spaniard leapt upon a black horse, performed an elaborate motion of getting the beast to rear, and galloped off.
Unable to pursue, the two seafarers resumed the journey in the smuggler's wagon. When at last they arrived at the harbour, Jack crossed the man's palm with the required money and questioned him in the Spanish tongue. He asked about the stranger. The man simply grinned.
"Le llaman El Zorro."
