The Pirate's Revenge Read Online Free

dreams.
    On the third day, we decided we could wait no longer, and turned the Mermaid for the coast. By now we had been at sea for weeks, and our own supplies were running low. Skirting around the shipping lanes had kept us well out of sight of land, but it also meant our water casks were nearly empty and the hen coop deserted.
    I was sitting with Moggia, fishing from the rails. There seemed to be no fish either. Moggia was still wearing the finery he had seized from Corfu . A red silk blouse, still ruffled but now missing its laces, lay open at the throat to reveal a glimpse of grubby skinand hairy chest. He had swapped the heavy gold ring he usually wore in one earlobe for a ruby that nestled into his skin and glowed in the daylight. A wide black belt held up a pair of trousers of such delicate linen that I suspected they were actually some sort of ladies’ underwear, but he’d been so grumpy lately that none of us liked to mention it. The clothes wouldn’t last long anyway, with all the rowing and hauling we had to do, and soon enough he’d be back in his blue canvas breeches and dirty white shirt.
    At last, Hussein came on deck for the first time. He was pale and thin, his eyes unaccustomed to the harsh light of noon.
    â€˜What’s our course?’ he asked.
    â€˜We’re circling back to the east of Gozo.’
    â€˜Good.’ Hussein walked slowly aft, towards Jem and Miller, who were standing by the tiller. Moggia and I dragged in our lines and followed. Ricardo and Francesco appeared, as if at a signal, and ran to join us. Even Brasher limped over to listen.
    â€˜So we have to dodge the French on land and sea?’ Jem was asking.
    â€˜While avoiding spies and collaborators?’ said Miller.
    Hussein nodded.
    â€˜For very little money?’ said Jem.
    â€˜That’s right.’
    Miller and Jem laughed. Even Hussein smiled weakly. ‘Not much of a job for pirates, I know, but it’s all I can offer you.’
    Jem looked around at the rest of us. ‘Hussein would like us to ship food into Malta.’
    We must have all grinned stupidly. Miller winked at me.
    â€˜Are you joking?’ he said.
    â€˜I’m not,’ said Hussein. ‘My means are limited, but I’m asking you to help.’
    â€˜What do we need to do?’ Miller asked.
    â€˜It’s simple. I will supply the funds. You contact my trader in Sicily, buy whatever you can, and bring it back to our friends in Malta. I’ll pay you ten per cent on delivery.’
    â€˜That will be …’ Miller did a quick calculation, ‘twenty English pounds, in pieces of eight, if you don’t mind.’
    â€˜How can you tell that?’ asked Hussein. ‘You haven’t bought anything yet.’
    â€˜We don’t need to,’ said Jem. He led Hussein over to the hatch and threw it open. Hussein peered down into the hold at the sacks of grain from Corfu . We watched as his expression changed from annoyance to understanding to amusement.
    â€˜I won’t ask,’ he said.
    â€˜All in an honest day’s work,’ I assured him. He laughed out loud.
    â€˜I would like to ask one thing,’ said Moggia.
    Jem sighed. ‘What is it now?’
    â€˜If we’re risking our ship and our crew to ferry food,’ Moggia said in a serious tone, ‘why don’t we make it worth our while and run in some weapons?’
    â€˜At last,’ shouted Ricardo, ‘an adventure worthy of the Mermaid .’
    â€˜Our mother will be so proud,’ said Francesco.
    â€˜First things first,’ said Hussein. ‘Let’s get this lotunloaded, and then you can go in search of weapons. Bonaparte has already left Malta to invade God knows where, but he has left a strong garrison. Soon the English will arrive and blockade the shipping lanes. They’ll try to starve out the French, but it is the Maltese who will suffer. Food is the greatest need.’
    He sat