Black Nate

Nate n' Phonse had made their way through the trees, but not without Phonse spendin more time pickin hisself up off of the ground than on his feet. It were as if the roots and branches actually reached out an grabbed at his feet and clothes. All Nate could do was hiss at him ta be silent quite often as they went. Nate even relieved Phonse of anything that might make noise when, not if, the spaniard fell again. Up and around a ways they went, and now Phonse was panting from the heat and so much exertion. Nate decided ta give the man a rest an found a good spot wit a large fallen timber ta sit upon. "C'mere an set a spell before ya fall down, agin." Phonse couldn't say much fer panting so much an just lumbered over ta th log an sat heavily on it, trying ta catch his breath. Nate rummaged in the satchel an pulled out a bottle o' water an tossed it lightly ta Phonse, who almost caught it. He fumbled it up into the air twice and dove to the ground, catching it just before it hit. Nate just mopped his face wit his hand and rolled his eyes ta heaven. Phonse remained on the ground to drink the bottle dry o water, panting even more. Nate pulled some rum from the satchel an was about to take a snort when a sound caught his attention. Instead he rammed the cork home and set the bottle an satchel by the log, motioned for Phonse to be quiet before sneaking towards the sounds with his musket at the ready. Easing some brush awya for a better view, Nate saw a group o men struggling with a large box or chest. Lucky fer Phonse they made more noise than he had, crashing through the foliage. Nate eased back when they came to a stop, leaving his musket pointed in their direction. "Not sure wot we got here, an I dun know where th others are. . . . Think ye can be ready wit yer musket witout pissin yerself? Or accidentally shootin afore ye need ta?" Phonse's checks flushed some, but he screwed up his mouth and shook his hear that he was able. Nate winked at him and nodded his head for him ta go get his weapons. Turning back ta the noisy men, he saw they were tryin ta get the chest movin again, but with no luck. Nate chuckled ta hisself. "looks like a bunch a monkeys tryin' ta fek a -" Nate didn't finish his thought as he heard Phonse crash to the ground in a heap behind him. Luckily, the men with the chest did not hear the noise as they were now arguing amongst themselves in another language, most likely about what to do with the chest.

Nate thought a moment longer an took up a bottle, takin a swig afore sayin anything. "Seems a fine plan. . . . cept I tink we'll make a change. Red Cat, you go wit Roberto an Phonse come wit me. Cat handles a spyglass better, and a pistol as well. Nate squinted at Tomas an the rest of those standin about, waitin ta see if anyone begged ta differ. Cocking his head ta th side an lookin ta heaven fer a moment, Nate began ta slowly nod. "Aye Father. . . . Aye. . . ." Nate picked his musket up an held it in a commanding position, checked the prime again and again gave a look to his comrades. Nate raised his eyebrows when all he got back from them were similar stares. "We gonna do this er jus stare at each other til dark er til th' Flodden finds us? Move yer arse afore my foot finds it!" Nate gave a crooked grin an shifted his weight as everyone started movin'.

Nate looked ta were smoke was sighted. "Waall Father. . . . Ye be deliverin us from evil, er to evil?" Nate grabbed up his musket an seabag an walked further up th beach a dry sand. Stickin his hand in his bag he pulled out his two pistols, rummaged around more an pulled out a shotbox an powder horn wit loose shot. Nate checked the shotbox an found it ta be dry. "Smilin on me this time, eh?" Nate said as he undid his belt an slid th shotbox onto it, picked up each pistol an checked it, then loaded it from the horn an loose shot. Pickin up his musket ta do th same he looked at everyone else just standin there. "Ye best check yer arms afore we be headin ta see wot will greet us over yonder, I ain't no marine wit a crack shot an I can't load lightenin fast neither." Nate leaned on his musket an dropped a hand onto his cutlass hilt. "I grabbed all I could from th rack on the ship, There be at least three more muskets an a handfull o' pistols in th sternsheets. Arm yerselves ya vermin!" Nate said the last an his wild grin crossed his face and th wildnes crept inta his eyes.

Nate knew not why but fer wotever reason they was not able ta row away from wotever shore they was near. The boat had cleared the reef mostly an were now headin straight through th breakers fer shore. Nate knew they had ta do this just right or they were all gonna be arse over teakettle in th surf. Nate started hollerin orders when they got inta th rollers. "Steady now! Here's wot we gots ta do! Firstly, dowse th sail! When I say pull, ye pull on them sweeps as if yer life depended on it, well, cause it does! When a roller comes astern, wait til the bow lifts an starts ta drop, then pull! Everyone understand? It would be better if we had another sweep ta take place o th rudder, works better that way but we'll make due wit wot we gots! Here we go! Be ready fer it!" The boat was in the swells closer an closer ta wotever shore was there. The crash o th waves gettin louder. A heavy swell lifted th stern and then was amidships an finally th bow rose an dropped. "PULL!" Nate yelled loudly and dug his sweeps inta th water an the others followed. They did this over an overas each swell came under them. They almost lost it twice when th boat started ta swing sideways, but somehow Nate worked his sweeps like a man possessed an righted th boat. The worst came when they was in the first wave that crested an as they pulled for their worth, they was just not able ta stay clear an the top o the wave crashed over th stern floodin th bottom of th boat an soaked them all that was aft o th mast. Three more an th bow dug into sand. Phonse an Roberto jumped into the surf an started ta drag th boat further inshore, a wave helping them along.

Nate were stll lookin ta heaven when Red Cat called out ta him. Nate looked her way and shook his hand at her. "I know! I know!!! All I hears from th' Father is a bit o laughin! It ain't right I tells ye!" Nate stood up an flapped th sheet, sat down a second an stood again. Nate mumbled some under his breath an scratched his head fer a time. Nate noticed them on the sweeps were gettin tired. "Tomas, Red Cat, switch round so as ta give a rest ta thems, Robert, take th tiller." Nate took up the sweeps as Robert vacated th bench an started pullin.

"You there, pull fer chri-sakes! Pull wit all ye gots!" Nate yelled at the men on the oars as he grabbed the tiller an shoved it hard ta port. There were no waves drivin them ta th reef, so there shouldn't be a cause fer them ta not be able ta row away from gettin stuck on wot was just below th water. Thems on th oars pulled as commanded an it looked as if they was makin way, the rudder havin effect. Crazy thing was, it wasn't as much as it should be and they still were headin towards th reef. "Jay-sus, this ain't right. . . . Now we ain't big enough fer ta be wrecked on th reef, but we cn get stuck fast!" Nate handled the sheet hoping maybe a breeze would fill it and help them out, but none came. If there had been more than three banks of oars, Nate would have taken up a set and put his back into it as well if it would help. Lookin at th compass, they had changed direction some, and Nate hoped it would keep going. Nate didn't much like th idea o spendin days in an open boat or on a raft again, but he liked th idea o being marooned even less. He looked to the heavens through the fog with a look of consternation.

Nate looked at Tomas through th haze. "Downday vaymoose, ye sez?" nate had ta think a minute ta remember wot little spanish he knew. "Ah! where we gonna run to, eh? Not fer certain maself. . . . As we seem ta be outta harms way fer now - Thank ye Father - I suppose we should figger out were away we go next." Nate scratched his chin, took off his battered hat an scratched his head. No one said a word fer a minute so Nate shrugged an reached down inta on o th sacks that had been tossed into the bottom o th longboat an brough out two bottles o rum. Faces brightened as they saw th bottles. "Weeeeellll, until this peasoup lifts, I ain't sure o where we be at particularly. Be it a good thing mayhaps we find capin Ransom n Tar? Not sure how far an away any port be from here, not a grand trip in an open boat wi little provisions. So, we gots a bit o time ta tink on it. Nate uncorked the bottles, took a gulp from one while offerin th other to wotever might take it.

Happy Day a Birth ta that Red Cat! ! ! ! An many more ta come to ya Lass! ! ! !

Nate kept a stern look on his face as long as he could before finally doubling over in laughter. After a minute had passed Nate was able ta give the command ta pull on the oars an get them out o harms way. ”Pull away lads, we don’t wanna be anywhere near th’ Flodden when this fog lifts.” Nate took up th compass he’d taken from th ship an got some kinda bearing, directing Cat where to steer. Nate then made quick work o righting the small mast on the longboat and hoped th slight breeze that stirred would give them better speed. Nate set th sail and sat in the stern a moment and laughed. Odd looks were again shot at him, so Nate shrugged. ”I were a capin o a fine little ship there fer some two days. . . . Th Lord giveth, th Lord taketh away. . . . Father always gets me outta some fine scrapes.” Nate suddenly cocked his right ear to heaven and a startled look crossed his face and just as suddenly was replaced with a grave look. ”Summin wrong Nate?” Red Cat enquired to the look on Nate’s face. Nate slowly shook his head. ”Father just reminded me of all that. . . . Says I gonna be fine when all this be done. . . . The rest o ye tho, yer all fekked!” Everyone looked at Nate in shock until his wild grin and crazy laugh erupted from him.

"Ah right Father, I sees wot we gots goin on here." Nate rolled his eyes ta heaven an threw the loop onto the tiller. "Cat, we best gather our gear, you too Robert! Gonna hafta trust Toe-mas ere, tis an unholy grip that come upon this fine ship!" Nate hurried about an grabbed up all the weapons n gear he'd brought aboard, plus a couple things that would come in handy if needed. Nate dumped all he had in his arms into the longboat an stood waiting for everyone else ta get aboard. "Come now! Capin's th last ta step off his ship, put some fire in yer arses!" Nate looked about an spied th Flodden gettin closer an squinted his eyes. "Ohhhh Father. . . . this gonna be close. . . . a close one sure as I'm a green-eyed bugger of an Irishman. . . ."

"Already dead? Wot?!" Nate gagged as the smell hit him again and he laughed a crazy, ragged laugh. "Oh Lordy! Father! Must ye do this ta poor ol' Nate!? Give these men their rest eternal!" Nate gagged again then dry-heaved. He'd had enough of the stench and backed towards the open hatch where fresh air drifted in. He looked up through the hatch to see Red Cat there and gave a weak smile. "Aye Lass, stay topside, Just be best that way, trust ol' Nate now. . . ." Nate watched Tomas and whoever or whatever shambled about in the shadows in the hold.

Nate tilted his head ta th side a degree er two an his eyes just barely squinted as he thought a moment about wot Tomas had said. Nate chuckled. "Wot ye be tryin ere, Tomas? Ain't been but hours since I were b low an all was well an good!" Nate looked ta Red Cat an wiggled his eyebrows and stepped forward, leavin her ta mind th tiller. "Say we two head b low an see, aye? Lest he there pissed n' such in th water an on th rice, All them stores er good fer a month wi proper care. If ya got a mind ta be put ta shore, just say, none o this bally-cock nonsense." Nate was in th waist now, an put his hand up onta th main boom while restin his other on his cutlass hilt, waitin ta see wot Tomas might have ta say.

Nate watched Red Cat step towards him while he thought about th best way ta clean up th Spaniard. "I think ya might just do as I were first thinkin. . . . Haul a bucket er three o water onboard and sluice im down til he don't smell so bad." With th presence o sharks, even if th man stunk ta high heaven, Nate didn't favor th idea o putting im in th water. As Cat stepped beside ol' Nate, she wore a serious look. Nate wiped his brow an gave a curious look to th lass.