Greene, if you decide
to stay, I shall give you an initial stake that should serve until
you can find employment.”
“Oh, no Captain, I can’t do that. I
wouldn’t feel right about taking your money…” Jeff
began.
Coxen held up his hand, “Believe me
Mr. Greene, the entertainment you have provided is well worth it,
not to mention the fact that you will be earning your keep tomorrow
when you assist the crew in taking on supplies. Besides, you really
have no choice but to accept at least a small amount of charity,
given your circumstances. And believe me, it will be a SMALL amount
of charity. I’m not known for my generosity!” the Captain said,
erupting in laughter.
“All right then. Thank you, Captain,”
Jeff said, joining in the laughter.
As the men’s laughs subsided, there
came a knock at the door. “Enter!” the Captain shouted.
Crabtree stepped into the cabin and
said, “The men are nearly done with the chores, sir. Shall I have
them ready the longboats for Port Royal?”
“Aye, Mr. Crabtree. For the landing
party, you, Mr. Graves, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Stevens, and the other
Mr. Stevens should stand ready. Mr. Harrison will be in command of
the ship in our absence. Notify me when we are ready to
shove-off.”
“Aye, Captain,” Crabtree replied
before departing. “Well, Mr. Greene, if there is anything you wish
to do before we depart, you should do it now.”
“Yes, there is something I should
attend to, if you’ll excuse me, Captain.”
“By all means,” the Captain replied
with a wave of his hand.
Jeff arose and exited the cabin. He
quickly turned to the right and headed for the bucket as the
morning’s meal of fruit and fiber was starting to have the expected
effect on his bowels. He tried not to look at the bucket too
closely as he positioned himself above it and dropped his pants.
Steadying himself with his arm grasping the rail as he squatted, he
managed to accomplish the task without incident. It was then it
occurred to him that there was no such thing as toilet paper. He
had thought that the odor of the crew was simply due to a lack of
bathing, but now he realized that there was another reason why
everyone smelled so bad – now including him! Perhaps he could
manage a quick swim later so at least he wouldn’t disgust himself.
He pulled himself to his feet and secured his pants before dumping
and rinsing the bucket.
Task completed, he made his way to the
far end of the deck where the crew was bringing the longboats
alongside and lowering the cargo net over the side of the hull. Not
knowing exactly what he should do, if anything, Jeff stood out of
the way. Crabtree was bent over the rail securing the longboats and
looked up at him. “Make yourself useful and inform the Captain that
we be ready to shove off.”
Jeff nodded and approached the
Captain’s door. Before he could knock, Coxen opened the door and
stepped out. “I trust we are ready, Mr. Greene.”
“Yes, Captain.” “Very good.” The two
men walked back across the deck. “Mr. Greene, Mr. Robinson, and Mr.
Graves, you are with me. Mr. Crabtree, Mr. Stevens, and the other
Mr. Stevens you shall follow in the second boat.
“Aye, Captain,” the men replied in
unison.
The Captain climbed down the cargo net
into the bow of the first longboat. Graves and Robinson motioned
for Jeff to go next. As he made it into the boat, the Captain
instructed, “You shall ride in the bow, Graves and Robinson shall
row, and I shall steer.” Jeff took his place in the bow of the boat
as Graves and Robinson climbed in and took their positions at the
oars. The men quickly took their positions in the second boat and
both boats pushed off from the ship.
Chapter 6: Port Royal
The seas were calm and the trip over
to Port Royal went quickly. There were several boats of varying
sizes tied up to the docks in the harbor, but the Captain passed
them by. “We shall bring the boats up on the beach, Mr. Crabtree,”
the Captain shouted to the
to stay, I shall give you an initial stake that should serve until
you can find employment.”
“Oh, no Captain, I can’t do that. I
wouldn’t feel right about taking your money…” Jeff
began.
Coxen held up his hand, “Believe me
Mr. Greene, the entertainment you have provided is well worth it,
not to mention the fact that you will be earning your keep tomorrow
when you assist the crew in taking on supplies. Besides, you really
have no choice but to accept at least a small amount of charity,
given your circumstances. And believe me, it will be a SMALL amount
of charity. I’m not known for my generosity!” the Captain said,
erupting in laughter.
“All right then. Thank you, Captain,”
Jeff said, joining in the laughter.
As the men’s laughs subsided, there
came a knock at the door. “Enter!” the Captain shouted.
Crabtree stepped into the cabin and
said, “The men are nearly done with the chores, sir. Shall I have
them ready the longboats for Port Royal?”
“Aye, Mr. Crabtree. For the landing
party, you, Mr. Graves, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Stevens, and the other
Mr. Stevens should stand ready. Mr. Harrison will be in command of
the ship in our absence. Notify me when we are ready to
shove-off.”
“Aye, Captain,” Crabtree replied
before departing. “Well, Mr. Greene, if there is anything you wish
to do before we depart, you should do it now.”
“Yes, there is something I should
attend to, if you’ll excuse me, Captain.”
“By all means,” the Captain replied
with a wave of his hand.
Jeff arose and exited the cabin. He
quickly turned to the right and headed for the bucket as the
morning’s meal of fruit and fiber was starting to have the expected
effect on his bowels. He tried not to look at the bucket too
closely as he positioned himself above it and dropped his pants.
Steadying himself with his arm grasping the rail as he squatted, he
managed to accomplish the task without incident. It was then it
occurred to him that there was no such thing as toilet paper. He
had thought that the odor of the crew was simply due to a lack of
bathing, but now he realized that there was another reason why
everyone smelled so bad – now including him! Perhaps he could
manage a quick swim later so at least he wouldn’t disgust himself.
He pulled himself to his feet and secured his pants before dumping
and rinsing the bucket.
Task completed, he made his way to the
far end of the deck where the crew was bringing the longboats
alongside and lowering the cargo net over the side of the hull. Not
knowing exactly what he should do, if anything, Jeff stood out of
the way. Crabtree was bent over the rail securing the longboats and
looked up at him. “Make yourself useful and inform the Captain that
we be ready to shove off.”
Jeff nodded and approached the
Captain’s door. Before he could knock, Coxen opened the door and
stepped out. “I trust we are ready, Mr. Greene.”
“Yes, Captain.” “Very good.” The two
men walked back across the deck. “Mr. Greene, Mr. Robinson, and Mr.
Graves, you are with me. Mr. Crabtree, Mr. Stevens, and the other
Mr. Stevens you shall follow in the second boat.
“Aye, Captain,” the men replied in
unison.
The Captain climbed down the cargo net
into the bow of the first longboat. Graves and Robinson motioned
for Jeff to go next. As he made it into the boat, the Captain
instructed, “You shall ride in the bow, Graves and Robinson shall
row, and I shall steer.” Jeff took his place in the bow of the boat
as Graves and Robinson climbed in and took their positions at the
oars. The men quickly took their positions in the second boat and
both boats pushed off from the ship.
Chapter 6: Port Royal
The seas were calm and the trip over
to Port Royal went quickly. There were several boats of varying
sizes tied up to the docks in the harbor, but the Captain passed
them by. “We shall bring the boats up on the beach, Mr. Crabtree,”
the Captain shouted to the
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