“HEAVE-TO! SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR THE JOLLY ROGER.” Captain Bear gave the signal and his gunner sent a cannonball across the bow of the Brandy Mine.
“PREPARE TO BE BOARDED.” Bear spun about and addressed his crew. “BRING’ER ABOUT.”
As the two ships kissed, Bear leapt onto the Brandy Mine and strode across the deck of the brigantine. Its captain was standing between the two masts while ship’s mates reefed in the mainsail and the topsail. The captain held out a pillowcase presumably filled with loot. Bear did a rough count and was sure that, if it came to a fight, his crew outnumbered those on the Brandy Mine.
“You can have what’s in here for the taking, anything else you have to fight for.” The captain of the Brandy Mine was certain that Bear would take that offer. Piracy was becoming so commonplace in this area that honest captains kept a sack of valuables to hand over if need be. This sack, however, had been provided to him as bait for Bear.
“Thank you kindly, Captain, but if you don’t mind, my lads and I will have a look around. He turned to face his crew. “PREPARE TO BOARD.”
As Bear turned his back, The Commodore stepped onto the deck from his place of concealment. “Got you again, Bear, and you aren’t getting away this time.”
Four other officers of His Majesty’s Navy came out from behind barrels and cut the hawsers between the ships. They set Bear’s ship adrift and left Bear stranded alone on the deck of the Brandy Mine.
“Make him secure, lads, and check his person for lockpicks. We aren’t going to fall for that trick again.”
Bear held out his hands and the cuffs were secured. Another adventure to share with my lady by the fire, Bear thought.
“Stow him below. Make sail for town.”
The Captain of the Brandy Mine dared to ask, “Commodore, won’t the pirates be a problem? They haven’t drifted that far from us and their vessel is one of the fastest afloat.”
“Nothing to worry about, Captain. They’re a band of pirates and I imagine they have a new captain by now who is thrilled to have his own ship without so much as a cannon fired.” They turned to the stern to watch Captain Bear’s ship sail off.
At the dock Captain Bear was paraded through town, led by the Commodore. A crowd began to gather to watch the spectacle. Responding to the crowd, the Commodore and his men stood tall. They straightened their tricorn hats.
“I’m pleased that we will get to have our afternoon tea today, Commodore. I have so missed our opportunities to enjoy each other’s company.” Bear bobbed his head to acknowledge the presence of at least three of his crew in the crowd. The Commodore had clearly never heard of the pirate code.
“It’s bread and water you’ll be getting in the governor’s gaol, and I certainly won’t be joining you. There’s the gallows that you’ll be facing on the morrow.”
A number of things happened at once. A pirate with a cutlass at his side jumped on a horse and yanked the reins from the startled owner. He urged the horse to a gallop and the crowd parted, opening a path directly to Bear. The pirate plucked Bear from the Commodore’s side and hauled him up, depositing him unceremoniously on the horse’s rump. A second pirate immediately replaced Captain Bear at the Commodore’s side and the Commodore found himself looking at the very sharp end of a poniard.
“Commodore, sorry to inform you that Captain Bear has an appointment elsewhere.” With that, the pirate disappeared into the crowd.
~~~~~
“Lads, I’m sorry our profit from this venture isn’t what you’d hoped.” Captain Bear pulled coffee beans from his inside pockets, spools of thread from his outside pockets, and a bolt of fabric tucked into his britches. “I did find a small trove of jewels hidden in the coffee.” He pulled 3 gold filigree necklaces from his boots. “One for each of us. The crew can divide the rest of the takings among them. The barman at the Muddy Ruder will signal our next voyage and I promise a more lucrative undertaking. See you anon.”
Captain Bear was careful to ensure that he wasn’t followed as he made his way out of town to his most convenient loot cache. As he entered the cave, he was outraged to hear voices ahead.
“Aye, Commodore, this is the place I was telling you about, where Captain Bear hides his stolen treasure.”
Pete. Bear would know that voice anywhere: his traitorous mate. Pete, who couldn’t handle a little thing like being captured. He’d turned to the right side of the law to save his own skin. And now he’d brought the law to Bear’s treasure cache.
Bear was not happy with Pete.
The priority now, though, was to get rid of the Commodore and his men, Pete among them. The members of His Majesty’s Navy were all ex-pirates and scoundrels, but the officers were upright citizens. The Commodore was sure to respond to a situation that might need their help.
There was a thought.
Captain Bear retraced his steps outside the cave. The cave should draw smoke beautifully. He gathered scrub and piled it at the entrance, making it look as much like a bush as he could. He set some tinder on the ground, and angled his magnifying glass to catch the sun. He was sorry to lose the glass, but another one would come into his possession. Taking one last look, he was pleased to see the tinder start to smoke. He rushed to the secret back entrance of the cave to await developments.
Once the scrub caught, the natural venturi drew the smoke into the cave entrance. It didn’t take long for the Commodore and his men to stumble from the cave mouth coughing. Bear took that as his sign to wrap a wetted handkerchief around his mouth and venture in to recover some of his treasure.
Bear knew he didn’t have long and that much would have to be sacrificed, but there were some pieces that he just had to have. The rest, well, they could be replaced with more shiny things.
~~~~~
When Brandy got home from a long day serving at the Muddy Rudder, Bear was sitting by the fire. “Beloved, I’ve missed you.”
Brandy beamed. “Bear, you’ve been gone so long, I was beginning to think our engagement was forgotten.”
“Brandy, you are my true love. There will never be anyone like you. How could I forget? I’ve a harrowing tale for you, involving a ship called the Brandy Mine, a traitorous captain, and a cunning pirate. It’s a tale for a quiet night by a warm fire. Join me and we’ll talk the night away.”
“A ship called the Brandy Mine and a cunning pirate. Sounds like another fairy tale, and one I’d love to hear. I save them up and I’ll tell them to our children when you are at sea.”
“We’ll welcome each bairn with a sip from your mead and a coin from my pocket. They will thrive on your stories until they are old enough to have adventures of their own.”