“Continue on with your work. We’ll talk later, but for now, I’m going to watch what’s being done to your ship. Not to criticize you, but to learn.”
“Our ship,” the Captain corrected him before turning to the next in line.
“I assumed this would take weeks,” Carrion said when they were more or less alone.
Tanner stood and looked at the men clearing the old equipment from the ship. He watched Devlin scoot along a spar as if he’d been doing it a lifetime. The boy shouted orders and directed four others working on the same mast. Then he spotted something on the other and shouted at them to correct it the way he wanted it done.
“You were worried about what we were going to do with the boy after we went home. I think he’s found his own way,” Carrion said.
“I wonder if anyone put him in charge of anything? Besides, he’s half the age of some of those men he’s ordering about.”
“Half? He’d less than a quarter their age if you ask me. He also has no experience, but he’s a natural leader. They’re leaping to obey him. He reminds me of me.” Carrion threw back his head and laughed.
Tanner said, “It was not that funny.”
“No? But I just feel like laughing. All this and my purse is still heavy. Until now you and I have stumbled around retracing where others have gone. I know we’ve done a good job and hell, we even burned an entire town to ashes. But ahead of us is all new.”
“We have shared our destination to Captain Jamison. He might have decided to depart our ship,” Tanner said. “That worried me.”
“That he may have done. But we’d just hire another. Our gold speaks a language of its own. But from what we’ve heard, Jamison is one of the best captains on this coast and has no love lost for those across the sea.”
“Or for Captain Brice.” Tanner turned back to the ship and the dozens of men working on it. “You said you thought this would take weeks. Now how long do you think?”
“A few more days, I’d guess. Then a short trip to train the crew and see what breaks or what The Rose still needs.”
“We might sail in only five days?” Tanner asked, his voice cracking as he spoke.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
On a bright morning five days later, the crew cast off the last of the lines holding the ship to the pier. The day before they had sailed out into the Endless Sea under the direction of Captain Jamison. He had sailed against the wind, with the wind, and to either side. He tested the crew in setting the sails, lowering them, and countless other tasks. He kept a pen and ink in the hands of a scribe at his side as he inspected every detail of the repairs, even to the point of climbing both masts himself, much to the catcalls and the encouragement of the crew.
When he ordered the ship to return to shore, he had a lengthy list of equipment to order. The supply houses filled his orders and delivered most of the items before dark. Necessary repairs were made by the light of lanterns, and the rest of the refitting could be done at sea.
Nobody but the Captain, Carrion and Tanner knew the destination. One of the new crewmen approached Tanner, who was standing near the bow the night before they left. He said, “’Scuse me, sir. Hope I’m no outta place saying this, but that Captain Brice of the Far Seeker is takin’ more’n a little interest in us. Didn’t think much about it till I heard him givin’ orders for making way a bit ago.”
Tanner said, “Your input is always welcome. I appreciate it and will take it to the Captain. Let the rest of the crew know they can speak their minds, too. The Captain is the last word on this ship, but he needs good information to do his job right.”
“Thank you, sir.” The sailor turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Tanner went to the other side of the bow and watched the black ship. There was more activity than he’d noticed before. A wagon arrived with fresh fruit and other food. A small boom lifted barrels that said they contained water. Each went into a hatch on the main deck. Why would barrels of water be loaded on a ship that was staying in port?
Captain Jamison was mid-deck at a small desk with a single lantern. He checked off the items on a list as they were completed and then dispatched the crew to more tasks. He eased to the Captain's side. “Have you noticed the Far Seeker is getting ready to sail?”
A dark wave washed over his face. Captain Jamison said, “A lot can happen out on the water, especially with a new crew and owners who carry gold in their purses.”
“How do we prevent that from happening?”
“Do you have a small silver I can spend?”
Tanner pulled one from his purse. The Captain stood and motioned Tanner to his desk, “Can you track the completed work for a while? I have some business ashore.”
Later, Tanner was busy tracking the work when the Captain returned with two more men. Each carried a bundle wrapped in cloth. He escorted the two new men below, then returned and reviewed the paperwork Tanner used.
Finished with the review, the Captain retook his seat and asked, “You’re not going to question me?”
“I’m curious. But you run your ship.”
“For that I thank you. I hired those two. They are not sailors, they’re archers. They use longbows nearly as tall as they stand. The arrows fly from here to that pink house up on the hill. I assume several of our crew know how to use bows, if not these longbows. I purchased six of them and a few hundred arrows. They tell me the arrows can be fitted with rags soaked in oil and lit on fire.”
“You’re thinking of the Far Seeker?”
“I’m thinking that any ship approaching without permission should think twice. I have my first-mate Fisher already speaking to the crew. Any who fears to sail with us can depart with pay tonight. Any who has experience with a bow will be noted, and at the first sign of trouble, issued one.”
Tanner placed his hand on the Captain’s shoulder. “The two of us are near-experts with bows. You might want to have a pair of bows and plenty of arrows sent to our cabin where we can have them at hand.”
“You really know how to use a longbow?”
Tanner glanced at the black ship across the pier, then beyond. “See that piling beyond the ship? The one that’s sticking out of the water? Either of us could hit it at whatever height we wished. With our first shot. If a man stood on top, we could both put arrows into him.”
Captain Jamison peered at the piling, judged the distance and looked back at Tanner. “I sense a bit of bragging.”
“Have your man bring me a bow and I’ll wager you an apology that I can put my first three arrows into it, right over the head of Captain Brice.”
“Don’t take that wager,” Carrion said, stepping out of the dark shadows near the wheelhouse. “It wouldn’t be the first time he has taken advantage of someone ignorant of his skill with a bow. But I’m better.”
“You are not.”
The Captain said, “Your bows will be delivered to your cabin before we sail.”
Carrion said, “If another ship comes near we can settle who is the better shot. But if you insist on a wager, bet that the two best archers are standing here beside you, and that includes the professionals you brought on board.”
“I sort of hope to see that black ship tomorrow or the next,” Captain Jamison said.
Tanner said, “All the work done in such a short time is amazing. I’m going to take a stroll around the ship and poke my head into whatever I can find.”