Birds of Prey - Smith Wilbur (версия книг TXT) 📗

"Aye, that you are, Captain," one said loudly. "We watched you take a strange ship out through the heads in darkness. You're enough sailor to fill my tankard and give me a warm feel in the guts."

Another called out, "I sailed with your father, Sir Francis, on the old Lady Edwina. He was a seaman and fighter, and an honest man to boot."

Then another cried, "Last night, by my count, you took down seven of the Buzzard's scum with your own blade. The pup is well bred from the old dog."

They all began to cheer him so he could not speak for a long while, but at last he held up his hand. "I tell you straight that I have read Captain Llewellyn's log. I have read the charter he had with the ship's owner, and I know whither the Golden Bough was bound and what was her purpose." He paused, and looked at their honest, weatherbeaten faces. "We have a choice, you and I. We can say we were beaten by the Buzzard before we began and sail back home to England."

They groaned and shouted protests until he held up his hand again.

"Or I can take over Captain Llewellyn's charter and his agreement with the owners of the Golden Bough. On your side, you can sign on with me on the same terms and with the same share of the prize you agreed before. Before you answer me, remember that if you come with me the chances are strong that we will run in with the Buzzard again, and you will have to fight him once more."

"Lead us to him now, Captain," one yelled. "We'll fight him this very day."

"Nay, lad. We're short-handed and I need to learn to con this ship before we meet the Buzzard again. We will fight the Gull on the day and at the place of my own choosing," Hal told them grimly. "On that day we will hoist the Buzzard's head to our masthead and divide up his booty."

"I'm with you, Captain," shouted a lanky fair-headed sailor. "I cannot write my name, but bring me the book and I'll mark a cross so big and black it will fright the devil himself. "They all roared with fierce laughter.

"Bring the book and let us sign."

"We're with you. My oath and my mark on it."

Hal stopped them again. "You will come one at a time to my cabin, so that I can learn each of your names and shake you by the hand."

He turned to the rail and pointed back over their stern. "We have made good our offing." The African coast lay low and blue along the horizon. "Get aloft now to make sail and bring the ship around onto her true course for the Great Horn of Africa."

They swarmed up the shrouds and out along the yards and the canvas billowed out until it shone in the sunlight like a soaring thunderhead.

"What course, Captain?" Ned Tyler called from the helm.

"East by north, Mister Tyler," Hal replied, and felt the ship surge forward under him, as he turned to watch the wake furrow the blue rollers with a line of flashing foam. he never one of the crew passed the foot of the mainmast where Sam Bowles AW crouched, shackled at hand and foot like a captive ape, they paused to gather saliva and spit at him. Aboli came to Hal in the forenoon watch. "You must deal with Sam Bowles now. The men are becoming impatient. One of them is going to cheat the rope and stick a knife between his ribs."

"That will save me a deal of bother." Hal looked up from the bundle of charts and the book of sailing directions that he had found in Christopher Llewellyn's chest. He knew that his crew would demand a savage revenge on Sam Bowles, and he did not relish what had to be done.

"I will come on deck at once." He sighed, surrendering at last to Aboli's ruthless persuasion. "Have the men assembled in the waist."

He had thought that Sukeena was still in the small cabin that adjoined the powder magazine, which she had turned into a sickbay and in which two of the wounded men still teetered on the edge of life. He hoped that she would stay there, but as he stepped out onto the deck she came to meet him.

"You should go below, Princess," he told her softly. "It will not be a sight fitting to your eyes."

"What concerns you is my concern also. Your father was part of you, so his death touches upon me. I lost my own father in terrible circumstances, but I avenged him. I will stay to see that you avenge your father's death."

"Very well." Hal nodded, and called across the deck. "Bring the prisoner!"

They were forced to drag Sam Bowles to face his accusers, for his legs could barely support him and his tears ran down to mingle with the spittle that the men had ejected into his face.

"I meant no ill," he pleaded. "Hear me, shipmates. "Twos that devil Cumbrae that drove me to it."

"You laughed as you held my brother's head under the waters of the lagoon, shouted one of the seamen.

As they dragged him past where Aboli stood with his arms folded across his chest, he stared at Sam with eyes that glittered strangely.

"Remember Francis Courtney!" Aboli rumbled. "Remember what you did to the finest man who ever sailed the oceans."

Hal had prepared a list of the crimes for which Sam Bowles must answer. As he read aloud each charge, the men howled for vengeance.

Finally Hal came to the last item of the dreadful recital. "That you, Samuel Bowles, in the sight of their comrades and shipmates, did murder the wounded seamen from the Golden Bough, who had survived your treacherous ambush, by causing them to be drowned."

He folded the document, and demanded sternly, "You have heard the charges against you, Samuel Bowles. What have you to say in your defence?"