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knowledge
of fisticuffs. I struck, left and right, into his face.
Blood splattered, but the next minute he had me wrapped in those huge arms.
"Now!" he gasped, "I break your back!"
His strength was enormous. He had seemed huge and fat. He was all of that,
but
he was also a man of unbelievable strength. His huge arms wrapped around me
and
he began to crush. Desperately, I hooked short, smashing blows at his face,
and
every blow crushed and split the skin, but oblivious to my blows he tightened
his grasp. I felt a streak of agony go through me. I struggled, fought to
break
his hold and could not. I felt my breath going. He was leaning his huge
weight
on me now. His mouth was wide and gasping. Blood trickled from lips broken by
my
punches.
I thrust a thumb into his cheek and dug my fingers into the flesh below his
ear
and behind his jaw. With all my strength, I ripped at his cheek. Something
broke
and began to tear and he screamed. With a tremendous heave I threw him from
me
and struck hard with my right hand, and the blow caught him on his upraised
chin.
His head went back but, mad with fear, I smashed again and again at his face
and
body. Hitting his enormous body was useless. I might as well have pounded a
huge
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leather sack filled with wheat. So I struck again and again at his face and
he
fell back and I staggered, catching myself on the doorjamb.
Somebody caught my arm and I jerked free, turning to see Jeremy Ring.
"All is well," he said. "We have the ship."
28
"Sail, ho!"
The call came from the deck, and as one person, we left the smashed and
bloody
cabin and went to the deck. A fine tall ship was bearing down upon us, flying
the flag of Britain. I swore softly, bitterly. I had never thought, as a lad,
to
look on that flag with anything but respect and affection.
"Stand by," I said. "I do not mean to be taken."
They were lowering a boat, and in a few minutes it was nearing our side. Six
men
were pulling at the oars. A stalwart, square-shouldered man sat at the
tiller.
As they came alongside, he asked, "Is it all right to come aboard?"
"It is," I said.
My men were walking about, picking up dropped weapons. There was a splash of
blood here and there and the crew of the ship or what remained aboard had
been
herded into the waist, where O'Hara and Magill stood guard over them.
As the officer came over the side, I said, "We've had a bit of trouble here,
gentlemen, but it is all over now. What can I do for you?'
"We need water," he said, "and seeing you hove to, we thought you might know
where it could be had, or might be watering yourself."
"There is fresh water ashore," I said, "and I'll gladly guide you to it, and
help you with the watering. As you see," I swept an arm at the deck and the
ship's crew, "we've had a spot of trouble here. I am a settler ashore, and
came
aboard this ship to trade six bales of furs. The master of the ship and his
crew
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attempted to steal my furs and my wife."
He looked around, his face grim. "Well, he didn't, did he?"
"We had more men ashore than he reckoned with, Captain."
"May I see the furs?"
"You may. They are close to the spring where you will get water." I indicated
a
spot on the shore. "If you will go there, I'll join you."
He hesitated. "You've come well out of this. I hope there is to be no more
violence."
Suddenly his head turned sharply, and I looked. Oldfast Wilson leaned against
the jamb of the door, his face battered and bloody. His mouth gaped wide
where
I'd torn his cheek.
"My God in heaven!" The captain of the ship turned to me.
"We had a fight, Captain. The man is uncommonly strong."
"He beat me, damn his soul. Beat me." Oldfast Wilson shook his big head in
bewilderment. "I thought no man could do it."
"We're going ashore now, Wilson, and we're taking some powder, shot, and
about
six hundred pounds of food. If you'll tell me how much I owe, I'll pay."
"Take them and be damned! I'll not touch your money!" He turned his head.
"He's
Barnabas Sackett, Captain. Wanted by the Queen. I thought to take him back to
England."
The captain of the new ship shrugged. "I'm not a warship, only a peaceful
trader
bound for the Indies. I shall buy his furs if the price is right. I do not
know
that the Queen wants this man, nor have I been asked to search for him. Nor
am I
aware of his crimes, if any. He has approached me with courtesy, and I shall
respond in the same way."
Two weeks longer we waited, and saw no sign of the Abigail. There was no more
time to be spent, so we took our boats and started up a stream that emptied
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into
the sea somewhat to the south of our former route.
And it was then that the fever took me, fever and chills. For days I was ill.
Sometimes we lay up along shore, often we pushed on, but Abby was ever at my
side and ever in command. She who knew much of men and ships, and in this my
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