Voyage of Slaves

Ben identified the object aloud. “Ah, this sounds a bit fishy to me, a tooth on a leather strand. It’s a sharktooth necklet!”

Whilst the audience was applauding, Ned went to Ghigno, who gave him a gold coin for Ben to identify. As it clinked on the ground behind him, he pronounced, “Ah, I smell gold, there is a wealthy man among us. It is a coin, a Spanish gold doubloon!”

Amid the gasps of awe and the hand clapping, Ned told Ben, “Bomba didn’t give me anything of his own, that scarfaced rascal slipped him the sharktooth.”

Ben nodded. “Well spotted, mate, you know what to do!”

When Ned had gathered in all of the offerings—which included a string of amber worry beads from Al Misurata himself—Ben removed the blindfold.

Serafina watched worriedly as Ben picked up the gold coin. “Oh, I do hope nothing goes wrong, Otto!”

The strongman reassured her. “Do not fret, pretty girl. Your Ben is not stupid, ja, and neither is Ned. He is smart, just like my Bundi was.”

Ben gave the doubloon to Ned, declaiming loudly, “Seek out this rich man, and give him back the gold that is his, O Magnificent Neddo!”

The black Labrador went straight to Ghigno and dropped the coin on his foot. The audience cheered heartily.

Now Ben picked up the shark’s tooth and gave it to his dog. “O Magnificent One, return this to its rightful owner!”

Ned loped back to Ghigno and dropped the tooth on his other foot. Bomba sneered triumphantly.

“Stupid cur, it was I who gave you that!” He bent to pick up the tooth, but Ned bared his teeth, snarling at the big slave trader. Guests moved away from the two men and the vicious-looking dog.

Al Misurata rose from his divan. Spreading his arms, he stared enquiringly at Ben. “What is the matter with your dog, why did he not give the sharktooth back to Bomba?”

Ben pointed at Ghigno. “Because the tooth belongs to him. He slipped it to Bomba so that my performance would be ruined.”

Al Misurata strode over to the Corsair and the slave trader. He picked up the tooth and the gold coin, glaring from one to the other. Then he tossed the sharktooth necklet to Ghigno. “I have seen you wearing this about your neck. Speak the truth, it belongs to you, does it not?”

Shamefaced, Ghigno avoided the pirate’s irate gaze. “It is mine, we meant it merely as a joke.”

Al Misurata had always trusted and liked Ghigno; they had been together many years. He shook his head disapprovingly. “You disappoint me, my friend. What pleasure would this foolish act have gained you? Was it to demonstrate that I was putting on a poor entertainment for my guests?”

Aware that every eye was upon him, Ghigno bowed his head, realising that what he had done was to offer insult to the mighty Al Misurata. He went down on one knee. “Lord, you are right, it was a foolish thing, and I did it unthinkingly. I beg you to accept my humble apology.”

Al Misurata was silent a moment. Then he gestured for Ghigno to rise. “We will speak no more of this, your apology is accepted, my friend.” He placed the gold doubloon in Ned’s mouth and patted him. “Good dog, take this to your master, he has earned it!”

Bomba thought the incident was over. He was smiling foolishly when the unpredictable pirate turned to vent his wrath on him.

“Wipe that grin from your stupid face, idiot! Jasmina, take this mindless oaf down to the stables and see that he cleans them out properly. Stand over him, and use your cane unsparingly. Get him out of my sight!”

Ben caught one hate-laden glance from Bomba as Jasmina prodded him from the room with her cane.

An awkward hush had fallen over the guests. Then Al Misurata returned to his divan. Smiling, he clapped his hands at the servants. “More wine and food for everybody. Let the entertainment continue, eat, drink and enjoy the evening, friends!”

Signore Rizzoli picked out a tinkling melody on his mandolin as the pirate’s associates continued their feasting. However, they fell silent again when their attention was taken by Serafina’s entrance.

The girl glided smoothly in, clad in a gown of shimmering gold and white. Her hair was encircled with a garland of small flowers, and her luminous eyes surveyed the room over a veil of transparent silk hemmed with tiny silver coins. Otto set her long Kongo drum by the fountain, where she perched on the stone rim. Serafina caressed the drumhead with deft movements of her slender fingers, interweaving a pattering beat to the mandolin music.

Ben’s eyes were riveted on the beautiful vision whilst she sang her song. This was in the form of a riddle, which performers sang in bazaars to attract the attention of passersby.

 

“Hark to the question I ask you, how does a seed grow to a tree, what pays no heed to the seasons, and treats beggars and kings equally?