Voyage of Slaves

Serafina, who had not ventured an opinion so far, came to stand alongside the big German. “I’m going with you, Otto. I don’t think they would harm a girl. We’ll say we’re going to visit Poppea.”

The door was bolted, but one powerful thrust from the strongman’s shoulder sent both lock and timber splinters flying. Otto bowed to his pretty companion. “After you, Fräulein!”

Caught napping in the early morning sunlight out on deck, the guard came running and pointed his rifle at Serafina, who was standing in front of Otto. The big man reached over her shoulder and grabbed the long barrel. As he wrenched the weapon from the man’s grasp, it went off with a bang. The ball shot past Otto’s cheek, into the bulkhead behind him. Scarcely had Otto knocked the guard aside and led Serafina out on deck, when they were surrounded. Armed men had come running from everywhere.

Al Misurata came pushing through the cordon; he was wearing a brace of fine Spanish pistols in his waistband. Drawing one, he menaced the German strongman. “You should not be out here. Get back to your cabin and stay there!”

The strongman glared at the pirate. “I am not afraid of you!”

Al Misurata hissed viciously, “Get back inside!”

Serafina placed herself in front of Otto. “We were only going to visit our mare, Poppea.”

The pirate answered, without taking his eyes off Otto, “The horse is well taken care of, return to your cabin.”

The strongman thrust his huge, shaven head forward. “We are not going until we find out what you have done with our friends, Ben and Ned!”

The hammer clicked as Al Misurata cocked the pistol.

“I have not seen the boy, or his dog. They have not been harmed. You are a brave and foolish man, mein Herr, but I think you will obey me and go back now.” Sighting the pistol, he pointed it at Serafina’s face.

Otto was left with no option.

“Come, Fräulein, we go back inside now.”

Signore Rizzoli breathed a sigh of relief as they walked back into the cabin. “You were close to death then, my friends, we heard all that went on out there.”

Buffo winced as the carpenters began hammering an iron swing bar across the damaged door. “Well, at least we know Ben and Ned are still alive.”

La Lindi looked up from petting Mwaga, her python. “I don’t believe a word from that shark, he’s a liar!”

Tears beaded in Serafina’s beautiful eyes. “Oh, don’t say that, please, he wouldn’t lie about a thing like that. Ben and Ned must be alive!”

Mamma Rizzoli shook her head at the snake dancer, silencing her. She wrapped her shawl about the girl. “Of course they’re alive, bella mia,²⁸ don’t upset yourself.”

Ezekiel leaned over the midship rail, pointing to the band who were rounding the point. “See, Lord, he’s coming back with a lot more men!”

Eli Bar Shimon beckoned to him. “I see him. Don’t stand up at the rails like that, you make an easy target for those guns in the rocks. Caleb, drop the ports and show them our teeth.”

In the stern cabin, Ben felt the deck rumble underfoot. Ned’s thought flashed through his mind. “What’s that, mate?”

Before he could enquire of Joshua, the lad looked up from his breakfast. “They’re lowering the ports to run out cannon. Look down through the windows.” Ned sent Ben another thought. “Cannon, eh, that old man doesn’t mess about, does he!”

As they stared down through the windows, two slim brass barrels emerged beneath them. Joshua explained. “They’re not big, full-sized cannon, but there’s eight of them, three each side and these two astern. I’ve seen them fired for practice, they’re very powerful, and our crew are expert gunners.”

Ned interrupted Joshua to mentally contact Ben. “Here comes old miseryguts with another bunch of villains!”

They watched as Al Misurata, mounted on a prancing steed, led a score of armed men along the beach. He met with Bomba and the others, joining his infantry to theirs. The pirate took charge, issuing orders to them all. Then he strung the men out below the tideline, in full view of the White Ram.

Ben spoke aloud, as much for the benefit of Ned as Joshua. “They’ve certainly got enough men. But what’s the point? They can’t reach us out here.”

Eli stood in the open cabin doorway. “That’s merely a show of force to impress us, Benjamin. Tell me, do you think that is all Al Misurata’s command, or does he have more men?”

Ben answered readily. “Many more, sir. Besides them he has a big ship and an entire crew.”

Joshua clapped his hands eagerly. “Will we fight them, Grandfather? Our warriors could beat them easily, and we’ve got cannon!”

The old man stroked his beard as he watched the men on shore. “We’ll fight them only if we have to, my young rooster. But I would rather outthink them, and save any bloodshed. Meanwhile, you boys and the dog stay low. I don’t want you seen from those windows.”

Joshua looked glum, he had wanted to see battle done. “Are they just going to stand there on shore all day? Where’s the sense in that?”