Pike returned. "What happened to the fluyt, Cap'n? Did she na come around?"
"We'll find her, Pike. Let us speak with Hanberry, and do you stand beside me when the talking is done."
It was no easy thing to sort out what remained. The Haydn was a wreck, not that good seamen could not put her into some kind of shape, but it would take much time, and much hard work.
A dozen or so of the Haydn's men had been killed in the broadside we loosed upon them, and most of those killed were the ones who had rushed to line their guns upon us. A dozen and a half were wounded, more or less, and some of the Flemish lads had cuts and scrapes from the fighting, but nothing to speak of.
Hanberry was in no good mood when we sat down together. "This is foul treatment!" he protested. "I am an honest merchant, with an honest crew. Who are you, anyway, Sackett?"
"For the moment, a pirate, it would seem. A privateer, perhaps, although I confess I have no letter of marque."
"Return my ship to me or I shall see you hang!"
His remark made me smile, for was I not already in risk of my neck? The problem facing me was a perplexing one, and I was in no mood for problems. I wished only to have a good ship under me and to be again on my way to Raleigh's land. But the only available ship was Hanberry's vessel. With it in my possession, I might retake the fluyt, rescue Lila-if she needed it-and then be on the way to our rendezvous with Abigail and Captain Tempany.
"Return your ship?" I said. "You have no ship, Hanberry. It was taken from you, and when I came here you were in danger of being skinned alive. You had lost your ship, Captain. You had almost lost your life, and the lives of your men as well. I took not the ship from you, but from Duval, who hangs up above us.
"You have water for blood, Captain. You were afraid to fight, afraid to fire, afraid to resist or not to resist. I suggest when next you come to shore, if you live to do so, that you stay there. That you find yourself a shop in a town that has a good night watch, and always be under cover with the doors locked by sundown.
"Understand this, Captain. You lost your ship. You have no ship. Duval had it, now I have it. What happens to you now depends upon what I decide, and I may leave you here with Duval, to settle it between you."
Oh, he hated me! He hated me not only for what I said but for what I had done that he had not done.
Whether I was a good man I did not know. I knew I was a man who wished to survive, and that to survive I must use both wits and strength.
"If I can use this ship to retake my fluyt, I shall. There are reasons why the attempt must be made. If I cannot, I shall sail in it where I am going."
"And what will you do with us?" he asked. I left that to his imagination. He had seemed, when I had first seen him sitting there, bound and facing Duval with contempt, a brave man. He was nothing of the kind, only a good talker and a hater without the will to fight as he must.
I now had sixteen men. Hanberry had at least twenty, but several of his had already lined up with mine in the fighting and the work.
Later, I put it to them honestly. "I want my fluyt again. If I get it, I shall not want this craft. The cargo is mine as a prize of war. If you choose to sail with me, and to leave with me when we have the fluyt, you shall be rewarded. I can promise you fighting, hope of rich reward, and a chance to go home. If you choose to stay with him, I shall give no argument."
Nine of the twenty chose to join with me, several quibbled and were uncertain. I merely told them, "We will strip the damaged vessel of her cargo, her guns, whatever is aboard of value. We will do it now."
One of those who had declared for Hanberry said, "And if we've no mind to work?"
I smiled. "I hope, then, that you're a good fisherman. There are fish to eat, and shellfish, too, by the signs along the shore. So try your luck. Those who do not help will not eat."
He shifted his feet,. glowering at me.
The men available I turned to on Duval's ship. We dumped three guns over the side to right her a bit, although it did but little, then we opened her hatches and went to work.
The several ships Duval had looted had netted him little, yet there was much powder and shot, a great store of lead, some foodstuffs the water had damaged already, but much else still of value.
When we had gathered much of it on deck, Pike took several of the men and warped Hanberry's galleon alongside. Rigging a sling and tackle, we began transferring the loot from Duval's Haydn to the galleon.
It was not a rich cargo, as such cargoes go, but the powder, shot, and lead were worth much more than their weight in gold to me.
Finally, we lowered Duval from his pine tree. He stared at me with such hatred as I have rarely seen. "I'll have your heart out for this!"
"Hoist him aloft," I told Blue.
Duval grabbed at my arm. "No! My God, man, you can't do that!"
"Then keep a civil tongue in your head."
Turning to Blue, I said, "Put him in the brig on his own ship, and put a man on watch. If he tries to escape while you do so, shoot him."
At last I stood on the beach, facing Hanberry.
"You have the Haydn. If you have resolution enough you can patch her up and sail her out of here."
He stared at me, choked with fury. By the rules of war, his own ship was mine, and his cargo also. Yet I promised myself that if I could find the fluyt and retake her, then I'd return his ship to him with those of his crew I had aboard.
We left him there upon the shore.
On the afterdeck I met with Pike and Blue. "You know Handsel best. What do you think he would do?"
"I have been thinkin' of that," Pike said. "He'd but twelve men aboard ... not all of them able. He can handle the fluyt with the number, but he'll not be able to fight her. Nor will he return to Newfoundland, for well he knows they'd be askin' of me there, and of Blue here. I think he would sail on down the coast."
We talked of it until the day was gone and the stars were out, trying each possibility and the arguments against. Finally, I sent Pike below for sleep and held the watch alone.
She was a neat craft, this Flemish galleon, not large but easily handled as were the Dutch craft. With so many ships upon the water, the Dutch had learned they must make their ships easier to handle, and had done so. They were cracking fine seamen, the Dutch.
Midnight was long past when I awakened Pike.
The clouds had cleared away and the stars were bright in the sky. There was a mild sea running, and enough wind to carry canvas without worry. We were making good time at last, heading south and a little west. At this point the coast of America slanted away to the south-west, and I knew from the charts there were scattered islands off the coast.
And somewhere far down the coast, without me, was Abigail, in what kind of weather I knew not.
But first I must find Lila and free her ... or them!
Chapter 13
Now being at sea again, and south-bound, my spirit was at rest, for though much trouble might come, I had my destination before me.
The continent lay west of us, just beyond the horizon, and we kept a man aloft at all times, alert to see any vessel that might hove into sight. But mostly we looked for the fluyt.
It was not in me to go a-pirating, nor was it large in the minds of my crew, for well they knew we had a goodly store below decks and if a port was made with what we had, all should do well.
Soon we sailed closer to the shore. Twice we sighted small boats, but they fled on seeing us, taking their cargoes of fish into shallow waters where we could not follow. Yet one fellow was close enough that we hailed him.
He came alongside, wary of us, but curious. I traded some line and canvas for fish, and asked about the fluyt.
"Aye, see her we did! She's lying up in the lee of a high, rocky island a half-day's sail to the south, or was before daylight. We saw her before, and not likely to forget it, either, with a great, tall woman at the wheel, hair flying in the wind!"