“What?”
“Huh?” I asked.
“You were looking at me kind of funny,” he answered, studying me closely. “Like I had something on my face.”
I shook my head. “No, there’s nothing on your face.”
He seemed puzzled for a minute, then laughed. “You've been talking to the crew, haven't you?” he asked.
I shrugged, trying to look innocent and praying like crazy that he wasn’t as good as my mother at seeing through an act. “One or two of ‘em, I guess,” I admitted. “Mostly the only ones I talk to are the squire and the doctor.”
Silver chuckled. “Well, don’t take anything the others say too seriously. They’re good sailors, but a rough bunch. And they tend to say strange things now and then, but there’s a saying that us sailors will believe anything.”
“Do you?” I asked.
“Not really,” he shrugged. “I've got to see something myself to believe it, most of the time. But you just be wary of them, especially that wolverine.”
I nodded. “Mr. Scroup,” I replied with a gulp. “Don’t worry, I don’t plan on getting buddy-buddy with him anytime soon.”
Silver grinned and clapped me on the back. “Smart pup,” he approved. “Just keep a good head on your shoulders, and let me know if you hear anything interesting. Fair?”
I nodded, wondering what he meant by ‘anything interesting.’ If I had known then what I would know later, though, the part about my head would have been a lot higher on my worry list.
Especially after what happened next.
For two days we sailed under gray, cloudy skies. The winds became rough and unpredictable. We were going somewhat faster, but I could tell from what the other sailors said that it was getting hard to tell where we were.
Then the storm hit. It was worse than any nightmare I'd ever had, even the ones inspired by Billy Bones' stories. The wind howled, and became so fierce that Captain Orde ordered us to take down all the sails. Silver had to put out the fire in the kitchen, and the crew was forced to eat dried rations and hard tack, biscuits so hard that they would have been more use as weapons than food. Work on deck was canceled entirely, except for a few crew members periodically sent up with lifelines tied to their waists so they wouldn't be washed overboard. Their reports came back grim: waves as high as mountains, lightning slashing down like falling knives, and wind so fierce that ropes stood out from the masts as straight as ramrods. One time Scroup and Togo went up. As we waited below, both lifelines suddenly went taut. Then one went limp, and about a minute later the other one followed suit. Scroup came rushing down, soaked and gasping.
“What happened?” asked the captain. Then, looking even more worried than he already did, he added, “Where is Togo?”
Scroup coughed. “A wave... knocked us off the deck. We was dangling over the side, an' 'is lifeline broke. I tried to grab 'im, but...” he hung his head. “Sorry Cap'n,” he muttered. “'E's long gone.”
Orde paused, then took off his hat and hung his head, laying the hat against his chest. All of us who wore hats or headcloths followed suit except for Jenna, who kept hers on. After a moment, the captain spoke. “Togo was a fine sailor. Better than any of us could hope to be. He knew the risks, and he did his duty regardless.” He lifted his eyes. “We'll have no more checks up on deck. We must wait the storm out.”
The hoped-for end came at night about a week after Togo disappeared. I realized it the following morning when I woke up and noticed my bunk wasn't swaying as much as it usually did. Instead of pitching violently back and forth, it rocked gently like a baby's cradle, up and down. I wearily climbed out of bed, changed clothes, and headed up to the deck. The sky was blue. I'd never known it could look so beautiful! There were scarcely any clouds, and the sun shone bright and clear. Around me, other sailors were coming up from below, first blinking in the light and then laughing and throwing their arms up in the air as if to embrace the sun and clear sky. I noticed Orde exiting the hatch, a wide grin painted on his face. “Gents,” he announced, “We've got our sailing weather back again!”
A cheer arose from the sailors, and I felt a stout paw strike me on the back. It wasn't a heavy blow, but the surprise made me stumble. I turned and saw Steele grinning down at me. “We'll make it where we're goin' yet, pup!” he exulted.
I smiled. Maybe Jenna had her doubts about him, but in my book, right at that moment, he was alright.
If only I had known his real plans.
One night some days later, when we were close to our destination, I awoke feeling hungry. Wearily, I slipped from my bunk and tiptoed out of the sleeping quarters to the kitchen. No one was there. I made my way by the light that shone down from the open hatch to the apple barrel, which by now was nearly empty. The fruit was so far down I had to climb onto a box beside it and then inside the barrel to get one. I was just about to take a bite when I heard footsteps coming down into the kitchen. It sounded like a whole crowd was coming down, and last of all came the familiar
thump, clunk, thump, clunk of Steele on his crutch. What were they doing? Then I heard Steele speak.
“Alright,” he growled after clearing his throat. “By what we've been able to pick up, we should be at our destination in a day or two, a week at most.”
There was a general murmur of approval at this. “And then wes get ouwa paws on Flint's gold?” asked Nikki.
There was a grin in Steele's voice. “Exactly.”
“I say,” grumbled Scroup's voice not three feet from the barrel, “We 'urry up an sends the rest to join that lout Togo.”
Steele turned toward him, glowering. “Scroup, that trick with the first mate was not in the plan.”
Trick? I wondered. What trick was he talking about?
Scroup growled in response. “He 'ad it coming to 'im. Sides, we'll be doin' it to all of 'em.”
That's when it hit me. Togo hadn’t been lost as everyone supposed. Scroup killed him!
“Only when
I say,” Steele shot back. “You move ahead of the plan again, and I'll send
you to join him.”
“Throwing him overboard was the riskiest, the most careless, the stupidest…” Kaltag started to ramble.
“It wasn’t smart!” interjected Star, followed by a
thunk.
“What about that pup?” growled the wolverine.
I could imagine Steele turning his cold gaze on him. “What about him?” he asked.
There was murder in the wolverine's voice as he rumbled, “Something tells me you 'ave a soft spot for 'im.”
I heard a punch, followed by the jolt a heavy body crashing into the barrel. I bounced and had to stifle a yelp when I came back down right on my tail.
“Belay that!” snapped Steele. “I’m not about to go soft on some wolf-pup. They’re nothing but scum, all of ‘em. Wolves are trash, and wolf-
dogs are gutter trash! I play nice with the whelp to keep him out of our business and
hopefully get him to tell us where the map is on this miserable ship.” There was a long pause, during which I imagine he glared around the room. “Anyone else want to say I’ve gone soft?” Nobody answered. “Good,” spat Steele. “Now remember, nobody, and I mean
nobody, makes a move until I say so. We can use these lubbers to run the ship and make things a little easier loading it up with Flint’s loot. Then once the treasure’s loaded, ideally when we’ve gotten about halfway home, we strike. The squire, captain, sawbones, and
especially the wolf-dog. I don’t want any of them showing up like the devil at prayers when we’re done.”
“What about the others?” asked Nikki.
“Yeah,” Kaltag agreed, “The polar bears. And there’s still a couple dogs who are loyal, straight-up, living by the…”
“Good gu-” Star started to interrupt again before the coconut-like sound of his head being hit, followed by a falling body, ended his sentence.
Steele chuckled. “Keep up the work recruiting,” he replied. “And if anyone won’t join us, they can join the sharks. I’ll take care of that James lad myself. You can see at a glance he’s got no stomach to be a gentleman of fortune.” Just then he began to cough. “Scroup, grab me an apple from that barrel to wet my pipe.”
I started to panic. If they found me in there I was sure I would meet the same fate as Togo, or worse. I could hear Scroup lumbering to his feet right beside the…
“Land ho!” came a voice from up on deck. “Laaaannndd hoooo!”
“Ah,” cried Steele with vicious delight, “Forget
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