Chapter 3

January, 1699

"The Margaret is mine, Captain Lowth! You and your scurvy privateers cannot have her! The treasure and the slaves belong to me!" Samuel Burgess yelled at the Captain of the East India Company.

"Orders are orders, Burgess! Now you can come peaceably, or there will be damaging repercussions for everybody!" Lowth boomed. "We are nautical businessmen, not pirates, but we will resort to whatever means necessary to stop your voyage!"

"Businessmen?" He spat. "You are all worse pirates than any one of us! I refuse!"

Captain Lowth growled and stroked his beard. His gaze darkened. "I believe you have no choice in this matter, Burgess, seeing as we are already out to sea! Take him to the slave quarters, perhaps one more man will make our ship sail back to Bombay faster!"

With a flick of his hand he commanded his men to seize Burgess and they hurried forward. No one seemed to notice the faint whistle that blended with the sound of lapping waves slamming against the trade ship. Phineas and Jeffrey landed onto the quarterdeck, unnoticed by the crowds of men dressed in both pirate and regal naval attire. There was a scuffle going on and Jeffrey recognized Burgess' rasping voice from among the crowd. The Voyagers stood up and Phineas opened the omni. The light was red.

"We're right where we need to be. Now we just have to make sure he doesn't…"

The Captain shouted and a loud splash followed. Phineas raced to the edge of the ship. He tossed the omni to Jeffrey. "Too late! I'm going after him! You know what to do if…if I don't come back."

Jeffrey gazed at him firmly. "Yeah, jump in after you, grab hold of your shirt and push the darn button!"

Phineas knew he could always count on his partner. He grinned. "Right, kid! But for now, stay put!"

Phineas took a running leap and dove into the chilly waters. The bobbing ships created strong currents and wakes, but he fought against them. The pirates and sailors noticed him swimming toward Burgess and called him back. Burgess held up against the waves, but was visibly winded. It was a wonder to Phineas that he made it out alive in the first place. Phineas shielded his eyes and squinted toward the distance. Though merely a speck, he distinguished the outline of another vessel coming from West.

"The Excelsior." He murmured in wonder. "That's my ship! This was how he got captured by us…them!"

There was no time to reminisce; 'Besides,' He thought. 'I was just a battered prisoner on board in the last time zone!' He had to get Burgess back to the East India ship before they sailed out too far. Burgess saw him and waved his arms.

"Go away! You can't take me alive!"

"Burgess! What kind of Captain are you? You've abandoned your crew when they need you most!"

"Ha! I don't own the 'Margaret!' and I scarcely care about that crew. It's just a job! I don't need all this trouble!"

Phineas forced his way to Burgess and tugged on his jacket, trying to keep afloat. "Believe me! If you do this, you will be in more trouble than you can imagine! Look out West! Do you see that little black dot? That's not a bird, that's another Pirate ship, and they will take you captive!"

Phineas grew angrier as saltwater sprayed in his face and up his nose. Pains wracked his muscles and the East India ship sailed further away. Jeffrey called for him in the distance. Phineas threw his arm over Burgess' chest and forcibly dragged him. "I've had enough of this! Let's go!"

"No! Get off of me you, young bilge rat! I will not be humiliated like this!"

"You've already humiliated yourself. Face your responsibilities like a man! If you don't, you will go down in history an addled coward!" Phineas retorted and continued to swim toward the ship.

~Oo~

Jeffrey ran into the midst of the confused seamen and pulled on the Captain's arm. "Please! Stop the ship! My friend is out there, he's bringing Burgess back to you!"

Captain Lowth shook Jeffrey off and looked at him alarmed. "Who are you? Where did you come from?" He gazed at the crowd. "How did this child get aboard? To whom do you belong?"

Jeffrey pointed toward Phineas. "I belong to the young pirate out there! Please Captain! Burgess has to stay on board and get to Bombay!"

"Get to trial for this travesty is more like it! We can't just stop, boy! But very well! Drop anchor! This will slow her down enough for them to catch up. Your guardian is a strong swimmer."

Jeffrey smiled at the Captain and watched anxiously as the crew went to work. He rushed to the side and shouted again as loud as he could.

"Bogg! We dropped anchor! Come on!"

Phineas was only a hundred feet away. Burgess knew his plan went astray and pulled out of his grip.

"I can swim just as well, man!"

"Good, because you were weighing me down!" Phineas grunted.

Phineas relaxed himself, allowing the waves to carry him more than his strokes. His injuries and the muscle strain from climbing up the mainmast hammered him full force. His body and patience were sorely tried. The crew lowered ropes and Burgess lunged for one. He gasped and choked, not wanting to admit the pains that overtook him. Phineas waited as the ship gradually drew the anchor back to its place.

"Jeffrey, we have to go!"

Jeffrey made a fast omni check and as soon as Burgess' leg came over the side, the light turned green. Jeffrey clipped the omni onto his belt loop.

"Alright Bogg! You did it!"

"Of course! Jeffrey, make a jump for it! I'm right here!"

Jeffrey climbed upon the edge; his legs suddenly had the same rubbery sensation while climbing the mainmast. In fact, it was merely intensified, because he still hadn't gotten over that fright. He glared at the foamy waters. Phineas held his arms open wide.

"Jeffrey, don't be afraid, I won't let you drown!"

Captain Lowth and the others came to his side. "What are you doing, boy? Don't jump!" You out there, climb aboard!"

"I have to jump, we…we gotta get outta here!" Jeffrey grabbed his nose and leaped.

"What? Go where? The bottom of the sea? No child! Stop!"

Jeffrey's body slammed into the water and he sank fast. He flailed his arms, pushing himself upward. Phineas dove under and swam beside him. He aided Jeffrey to the surface. Jeffrey grasped for him, coughing up seawater. Phineas could now barely keep his head above water. He was exhausted. Jeffrey helped buoy him.

Phineas looked at his partner grateful. "Thanks, kid! Please, hit the omni!"

~Oo~

The Voyagers landed in a large thatch of yellowed grass and sand. Jeffrey, feeling waterlogged, lay face-up and enjoyed the warmth of the sun. He still heard crashing waves and felt a cool, salty breeze. "We made it, but now we're on a beach."

Phineas tumbled beside him. Every movement felt like torture, but he bit his lip and gritted his teeth to stay quiet. He wrung out his clothes slowly. "I hate soggy garments." He complained weakly.

Jeffrey rolled onto his side. "Bogg, I can't believe we landed on your ship and I got to see you as a pirate! That was crazy! You looked really different, but the same I guess, just a little younger and more…"

"Rugged?"

"Yeah, kinda weather beaten and I see you got your teeth and broken nose fixed since then." He grinned slyly.

Phineas shrugged nonchalantly and stroked the tip of his nose. "Very minor procedures since I had broken it twice. But I liked my face the way it was. I was having trouble breathing and Voyagers Headquarters decided they didn't want me to look too rough and tumble out in the field."

Jeffrey wrung out his clothes also. "I guess it works. I mean, who would trust a guy that looks like a brawler, right? I can imagine all the girls swooning when you got your make-over." He laughed.

With his final ounce of strength, Phineas yanked off his boots and dumped out water. "I stopped a few hearts, I'll admit it."

Jeffrey laughed again. He shook a few drops of water out of the omni and flipped the lid. The light rang green. "Hey, it's all good here and the omni still works."

Phineas groaned and shielded his eyes from the sun. "That means we can't stay very long. But I'm beat. Terribly beat. Where are we now? I see a lighthouse and a cottage."

"We're in Massachusetts, September 3rd, 1814. There must be a village further down."

"What's going on in this year?"

"We're still in the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain. This war didn't really end until 1815. Notice all the harbor vessels?"

"Oh yeah, figures." Phineas sighed.

Much of history was often just peace-time between wars. He frankly didn't notice much of anything. He couldn't hide the pain any longer. Jeffrey stared at his partner's bloodstained clothes. Phineas paled and he appeared woozy. Jeffrey crouched next to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Bogg, you really need to get some rest and have those wounds fixed up. I didn't have any medication to use back on the ship. Green light or not, I gotta get you some help."

"I know, Jeff. I will. Hey, are you okay?" Phineas asked concerned. Jeffrey looked scared and cold. "You took quite a ride back there on those ratlines."

"I'll be fine, Bogg. I'm just a little shocked. Now that I think about it, it was kind of fun. You know, even as a pirate, you weren't like the others. You saved my life, and you kept encouraging me to climb and not show fear. That's the Bogg I know."

"Hey, I may have been a little tough, and rude, but I was still me. I always told my crew that I may be a pirate, but I carried the Bogg family honor. I upheld it the best I could considering the circumstances." Phineas clutched his head and his stomach rollicked more than the ocean. He lay on his side to avoid hurting his back wounds and Jeffrey hovered over him.

"Bogg! What's the matter?"

Phineas' mouth quivered, but he fought the bile down. "Jeff, I feel sick, everything hurts. I just…I just need to…" His voice cut off and he fainted.

Jeffrey hugged him and shook his shoulders. "Bogg! Wake up! Please!" He gazed desperately at the lighthouse and saw two lithe figures in the distance.

"Help! Over here!"

~Oo~

"Abigail, you're behaving like such a ninny!"

"I am not, Becky! I think Jim truly liked you. He could barely take his eyes off you. You were always out walking the beach together. I caught him spying all the time, just waiting for you to come to the lighthouse. Don't think I didn't notice. And you admired him too." She laughed giddily.

"Don't be foolish. If he liked me so much, why did he keep it to himself? A real man would make his intentions known. Besides, it doesn't matter, he's gone away with the other soldiers." Rebecca gazed forlornly across the ocean, her light, blue-gray eyes saddened. At twenty years old, the prospects of her being wed grew dimmer.

Her fourteen-year-old sister Abigail shrugged and kicked at the sand. "It's his loss. I still think you're beautiful and intelligent."

"Thanks Abby. But as long as we are practically marooned in this little seaside town, I may never find anyone to marry."

"Oh bother! Who needs these indecisive men anyway! All they do is go off to war and get killed."

"Abigail, indecisive or not, these men bravely put their lives at stake for our new country's freedom."

"I know, I know. But it's all so senseless to me. If only we could all live in peace."

Rebecca tousled her sister's chestnut curls. "I agree, but for now that's not the way things are."

Abigail looked down glumly, but then smiled. "Well, at least the musicians left their instruments."

"Oh, I feel much more secure from the British now that we've mastered the fife and drum." Rebecca rolled her eyes and pushed back her honey-blonde hair. Her long tresses continually whipped past her face in the wind. "That will surely stop them from burning our barges and stealing our town's supplies."

Abigail saw her sister's sarcasm mounting and dropped the subject. She ran ahead to gather sea-shells for her collection. As she clamored over a small hill of sand she heard shouting and bade Rebecca to come.

"Look yonder, Becky! It's a boy! And there's a man on the ground. I think he's battered."

The boy headed their way and called out for help.

"Do you see his red and white shirt, and the man's clothing? What if they are pirates? I think they are!" Abigail said, backing away. "They will cut our throats!"

"Stop it, Abby! Even if they are, they're in no condition to harm us." Her eyes gleamed and her heart pounded for adventure. "I'm going to see what's wrong. Coming?"

"Becky, what if they are British? It could be a trap!"

"Abigail, you just said they look hurt! At least the man does. Now who's being indecisive?" Rebecca couldn't wait for her sister and took off. "Hallo! Stop where you are!" She said authoritatively and picked up a piece of driftwood.

Jeffrey halted. The taller one shook the wood at him defensively. He put out his hands in surrender and was near tears.

"Please! I won't hurt you. I need help for my friend Bogg. He's been…well, our boat was capsized, we escaped a…" Jeffrey had to think fast. In the War of 1812 the British Army captured many Americans and jailed them on board their ships. He pointed out to the ocean.

"The British had us! Bogg got us off with a small boat but then it sank. We barely made it here alive. He's been flogged! He needs medical attention!"

Abigail felt pity for the handsome boy. She pulled at her sister's blue dress. "Becky, I believe him. He doesn't have a British accent. He doesn't even look British."

"You're right and either way, they need us."

Rebecca dropped the wood and rushed to Phineas' side. He had finally regained consciousness. Rebecca gasped and dropped to her knees. She gently lifted his head and rested him upon her lap. Abigail looked on surprised at her sister's forwardness.

"We'll have to call father, but he traveled out to town and…" Abigail suggested.

"No! First we need to get him to the lighthouse and onto the bed. Then we'll tend to his wounds and summon the doctor. I don't want to leave him here any longer. He's feverish and bleeding. The British that held them captive could return any moment. Abby, you go on to the lighthouse and get all the medical supplies set up and the make the bed as comfortable as possible. Boil some hot water and prepare tea."

"Oh, so now I'm a nursemaid!"

"Abby! He needs our help! What if it was father laying here? Or little Henry?"

"Fine, fine. But what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stay with him. The boy and I…what's your name?"

"Jeffrey Jones."

"Thank you. Jeffrey and I will support him back to the lighthouse. Please hurry Abby!"

Abigail took off without further complaints. Jeffrey slid beside Rebecca. She absentmindedly stroked Phineas' hair and tapped his cheeks. "Mr. Bogg, can you hear me? Please try and stay alert."

"His first name's Phineas." Jeffrey said.

"Phineas, my name is Rebecca Bates, Jeffrey and I must take you back to my family's lighthouse. Do you have enough strength to walk a yard or so?"

Rebecca lowered her head closer to make a further inspection of his wounds. Phineas' eyelids fluttered open at the sound of her resonant, yet mild, voice. Her soft hair brushed over his face. He stared up at her. She had hooded clear eyes and a gentle mouth with pert, soft lips. Her face was tanned and her features all around stoic and narrow, yet softly feminine. He smiled as best he could. The churning sensation in his stomach quelled.

"I'll…I'll do my best for you." He murmured.

Rebecca was transfixed with his vivid blue eyes, and at a sudden loss for words. Jeffrey sighed and crawled around to the other side. Phineas immediately attracted the ladies wherever he went. He grasped Phineas' arm and tapped Rebecca. She tore her gaze away from Phineas' face.

"Umm…what do you have in mind, Jeffrey?"

"Okay, Bogg, we're going to push you up to a sitting position first on three." He ordered. "1… 2…3!"

Bogg let out a grunt as his body shifted up. "Oh, this is not good. I'm not usually incapacitated."

"I can't imagine you ever being so weakened. I mean…when you're captured by the redcoats, who knows what they will do to you?" Rebecca was nearly compelled to touch his back, but decided against it. Where was her mind? But seeing all the blood on his clothes filled her with pity. "Oh, Phineas, the lashings look terribly painful."

"It feels that way too." He quipped uneasily. "I've had worse. They're only surface wounds. The whip was pretty dull."

"Bogg, we have to get you on your feet, put your arm over my shoulder." Jeffrey demanded again.

"Aye, Aye, Captain Jones." Phineas grinned.

"And do the same for me too." Rebecca said. "It's nice to know you can keep your humor despite injury. You and your…son?"

"Nephew."

"Ward."

Phineas and Jeffrey spoke up at the same time. Rebecca cocked an eyebrow. "Which is it, then?"

"Both. My sister and her husband died and left Jeffrey in my care."

"Yeah, Bogg is like my father now." Jeffrey couldn't help adding and stared up at his partner for support. Phineas gazed at him affectionately.

"Exactly. He's my boy."

"Oh, I see. How noble of you. I'm very sorry. You two are extremely brave. Are you soldiers?"

"Sailors. Bogg's vessel was captured and the British sank it and stole all our provisions. We actually would have died out there if they didn't take us on board." Jeffrey said.

"Yeah, I guess we can be grateful for that." Bogg smiled at Jeffrey's quick and intelligent explanation.

"You still may have died if they continued this treatment. Those villains!" Rebecca said angrily.

Within a minute, Phineas was on his feet and felt miserable that he had to lean upon a woman and a young boy. He could barely tolerate the pounding in his head.

"Not all British are bad, ya know." Phineas ventured to say. "This is war, I'm sure the Americans have done things that normally you wouldn't be proud of. In fact, I know they did." He thought of wars to come.

Rebecca straightened up and frowned. "Maybe so, but the redcoats have attacked our town and left the people near to starving. We had to have round the clock soldiers guarding our lighthouse too. They just left us a few days ago. It's been three months since the last attack."

"For what it's worth, that's good. Maybe they'll never come back."

"I sure hope not. But now I'm worried. Our cottage is right alongside the lighthouse. Sometimes whenever my sister and I clean the windows, we see their dark ships in the distance, just sitting there bobbing up and down. It's so unnerving. If you and Jeffrey made it to shore, then that means they mustn't be far behind again." She scooted closer against Phineas and trembled.

"I'm sure nothing will happen to you or your family, Miss Bates." Phineas tried to comfort her, remembering the green light. However, green didn't always mean a happy ending.

"Yeah. They were going the other way…I think!" Jeffrey said, and he and Phineas shared a look. "I hope."

Phineas caught the glare in Jeffrey's eyes. He was trying very hard to pinpoint the historical significance of this time zone, but was coming up short. Sometimes on a green light, it was nothing at all, just time playing out without major incident.

"How bad was the first raid, Miss Bates?"

Rebecca stared up at him demurely as they trudged slowly along. She tried not to shift much, despite Phineas' weight upon her. He was a very sturdy, well-built man. "You can call me Becky if you'd like."

Phineas smiled. "I'd like that very much, Becky."

Rebecca blushed and while she looked down, Jeffrey pinched him and rolled his eyes. Phineas' charms had struck again. 'Cool it, Romeo!' He mouthed to him and Phineas hastily stuck out his tongue. Rebecca glanced up and Phineas made a straight face. She looked very grim, but as the sunlight sparkled off her eyes, she appeared majestically valiant and determined to take on any opposing forces. He admired that and felt sorry for her and the townspeople.

"They haven't killed anyone, thank the Lord, but one never knows what they are capable of. After all, Phineas, this is war."