Greenbeard (9781935259220) Read Online Free Page A

Nick sitting upon his dark throne, shaded by his black bat’s wings, staring down upon the Earth with a look of resigned distaste on his long face. There was a boom as Blue Peter Ceteshwayoo bombed into the water beside him. “Ye swab!” roared the Captain and splashed him. There was a smaller plosh and Israel Feet slithered underneath them through the clear water trailing bubbles, as agile as an eel. The three freebooters larked about in the salty seawater until Captain Greybagges shouted “Race yez to the harbourmouth!” Although Captain Greybagges was a strong swimmer the small sinewy First Mate had an easy fast crawl and overtook him. They trod water until Blue Peter arrived, swimming a sedate breaststroke. “Arr! Blue Peter shall buy the drinks tonight!” roared Captain Greybagges.
    The three pirates stood upon the deck of the frigate Ark de Triomphe laughing
and pouring buckets of cold fresh water over their heads, as naked as jaybirds. There was a murmur of amusement from the crew in the rigging. Captain Greybagges looked up, a scowl on his face.
    â€œWas I not speakin’ aforetimes about the livers and lights of them as might be slacking!” he roared. There was a sudden stillness among the crew. The Captain grinned. “Har! Har! Har! I caught you out there! Har! Har! Har! I do loves my little jest! Har! Har! Har!” The crew in the rigging and on the decks looked uneasily abashed. “No, me hearties! Yez bin working like riggers, ye has, toiling ‘andsomely like, but too much graft and not enough roistering makes for a mumpish band o’ buccaneers. You may finish up and knock off for the day.” There was a pleased mutter from the crew. “Finish what yez is doing with a will, mind yez all! I will tell quartermaster to broach a cask o’ rum and a couple barrels o’ beer and ye may have yeselves a jolly evening. Let yez hair down. Grow yez beards a bit.” The crew cheered. “BUT!” and the Captain spoke this in a voice of brass, “BUT, I will obliged if yez shall drink matey-like.” He paused and let his grey eyes rove over them. “For there are fresh breezes a-coming as the season o’ storms approaches, and them winds has been known to blow good fortune to gentlemen of fortune such as we. T’would be a great shame and a pity iffen we should miss a handsome bounty because some knavish swab had a sore head and did not attend to his duties in a proper and seamanlike fashion. So ye’ll drink easy-like, and play a hand o’ cards, mebbe, and roll the bones for Crown and Anchor, and play upon the squeeze-box and fiddle, and yez may even sleep late o’ the morning, but I’ll not stand for fighting amongst yeselves, nor drinking yeselves into a stupor! No, I will not! When them winds freshens up we shall go for a little sail, we shall, an’ we may find what we may find. Now finishes up yer duties, me hearties, with a will.”
    The crew carried on, with a cheerful mutter of voices from the rigging and the deck.
    â€œT’were a fine piece o’ speechifyin’, Cap’n, damn me, but it was!” said Israel Feet in a low voice. “T’will set the lads up ’andsome-like. That an a few jars o’ ale.”
    â€œWhy thankee, Izzie! That be praise indeed,” said the Captain, wringing water out of his beard.
    Mumblin’ Jake brought the Captain and his two lieutenants towels and stood by holding their clothes. As he stepped into his breeches Captain Greybagges told Mumblin’ Jake to fetch the boatswain and crew of his longboat, who were the
largest men in the crew. When the seven hulking sailors came they formed a line on the deck, slid their right feet forward and knuckled their brows respectfully.
    â€œBosun, I wishes you and your lads to stay sober tonight.” The bully-boys looked aggrieved. “Here is something to ease yez disappointment.” whispered the