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@@ -2072,7 +2072,7 @@ Her father sighed. "This island is a wonderful place to make camp for the winter Jack nodded and pushed his hat back a little, smiling. "Well, when you put it like that..." He raised his mug to her father and then took a drink. -## need birdie chapter here +## Birdie Joins Whydah Birdie lay awake late into the night, watching Orion's belt move across the sky, wondering about the hunter. Did he like it up there? Was it small consolation? Did he miss hunting? Did that great son of Poseidon miss Artemis? Are you happy up there Birdie whispered to Orion. I think I should have liked to keep hunting if it were me she answered for him. Never trust a jealous god, not even Apollo. @@ -2118,21 +2118,15 @@ It was nearly lunch time when the men who'd spent the previous day and night hun That evening, Birdie and the crew of Delos sailed Maggie out to Whydah and climbed up the rigging to the deck. The crew of Whydah, including the cabin boy, who was not much older than Birdie, was waiting. They lined both side of the deck. In the middle of the ship, near the wheel, stood Ratham and Bellamy. Bellamy had the ships log, where he'd recorded Birdie's name. She'd never seen her name before, but her father assured her it was correct. She put an X beside it and Bellamy blew on it to dry before ceremoniously slamming the book shut. "Welcome to the crew of Whydah!" he cried. A roar went up from the men around the ship and Bellamy bent down to speak softer in her ear. "However briefly you may serve with us Birdie, it is an honor to have you." -"Thank you sir," she whispered back in his ear. Jack blew in a conk shell and the low groaning sound silenced the crew. Jack stepped forward and spun around to make sure he had everyone's attention. - - - - - - - - +"Thank you sir," she whispered back in his ear. Jack blew in a conk shell and the low groaning sound silenced the crew. Jack stepped forward and spun around to make sure he had everyone's attention. "The oath here is simple. To be a member of this crew, and to therefore receive your share in spoils, you must agree to the articles of this ship." Ratham unrolled the paper Birdie had put an X on and showed it to the crew. He began to read the paper, which quickly delved into details of sailing Whydah which Birdie would never need to know, given that she was sailing with Whydah tonight only, something she would reflect on with some relief in the years to come. +Two things stuck with her though from Jack's reading, one was the promise not to draw blood, or "take away the life of any man given Quarter," and above all else, to remain loyal and "assist your brethren in danger, on pain of death." +In the end much food was eaten, much drink was drunk and a small sea chest with 140 pieces of eight in it was presented to Birdie, though carried by Tamba and her father since it proved very heavy indeed. She sat with in balanced on her knees as the very crowded Maggie made for shore in the moonlight, the weight of it was somehow reassuringly real, unlike the vague weight that lay on her mind. Whatever may come, she was a member of Whydah's crew now. ## Chapter 16: The British -Lulu woke from a dream where she was gliding over the water, slow and smooth like a pelican, alone, her wing tips skimming the waves and watching the schools the fish dart from her shadow. And then she was in her usual body, lying on a calico quilt on the sand. She sat up and stretched and shook Birdie, who swatted at her. "Come on, Birdie, lets play what we were playing last night." +Two weeks later Lulu woke from a dream where she was gliding over the water, slow and smooth like a pelican, alone, her wing tips skimming the waves and watching the schools the fish dart from her shadow. And then she was in her usual body, lying on a calico quilt on the sand. She sat up and stretched and shook Birdie, who swatted at her. "Come on, Birdie, lets play what we were playing last night." Birdie sat up groggy, rubbing her eyes gently as they had all learned to do in a world where you never knew when there might by a grain of sand on your hand. "What game again?" @@ -2144,43 +2138,49 @@ It was Lulu who saw the doll and scrambled out of bed to grab it for her sister. She lowered herself slowly down, not wanting to be spotted. She scuttled over to Birdie. "There's a ship anchored out by the bar. There's a boat rowing in full of soldiers." -"What?" Birdie snapped awake. They gathered up their quilts and dolls and ran for camp. Their father was up, drinking some of the coffee Captain Jack had given him. Or maybe it was Anne. Lulu wasn't sure. She wanted to scream, but she did not. She forced herself to speaking clearly and slowly. There's a ship. Soldiers are rowing in. She watched her father's face. It flickered for just an instance, but otherwise he looked at her as if she had just told him about a shell she found on the beach. He took a sip of coffee. He swallowed. +"What?" Birdie snapped awake. They gathered up their quilts and dolls and ran for camp. Their father was up, drinking some of the coffee Jack had given him. She wanted to scream, but she did not. She forced herself to speaking clearly and slowly. "There's a ship. Soldiers are rowing in." She watched her father's face. It flickered for just an instance, but otherwise he looked at her as if she had just told him about a shell she found on the beach. He took a sip of coffee. He swallowed. -"Lu, get Henri and go with Kobayashi and Tamba. Ready Delos to sail. Birdie, I want you to stay with me." +"Well, I expect that'll be this McPhail character Jack spoke of. Hmm, a boat full of soldiers." Her father stared at the coffee as if it were tea leaves and might have some hint of the future, but there was nothing in it but murky blackness. "Lu, get Henri and go with Kobayashi and Tamba. Ready Delos to sail. Birdie, I want you to stay with me." Lulu balked. She did not want her sister to stay. She started to protest. She glanced at Birdie and could tell she did not want to stay either. "Papa why? I want Birdie to come with us." -"Lulu," he hissed, "Do as I say, and go." +"Lulu," he hissed, "do as I say, and go." -She ducked into the tent, Tamba and Kobayashi had a of sail cloth bag of their guns and swords already between then each was gather shot and powder. Lulu picked up the coppers and the iron skillet her father loved. Henri helped with a bag of shot. The four of them headed down the trail to the marsh, Lulu tried to think where the tide was. She thought about the boat coming in, she tried to see it in her memory, where was the surf line, she thought it was high, that would mean there would be enough water to easily float Delos, but it also meant it would be harder to +She ducked into the tent. Tamba and Kobayashi had a of sail cloth bag into which they were shoving their guns and swords. Maybe she had yelled a little thought Lulu. She helped them gather all the shot and powder in the hut. Lulu picked up the coppers and the iron skillet her father loved. Henri helped with a bag of shot. The four of them headed down the trail to the marsh, Lulu tried to think where the tide was. She thought about the boat coming in, she tried to see it in her memory, where was the surf line, she thought it was high, that would mean there would be enough water to easily float Delos. ---- +They stored the goods they could carry on the ship. Lulu set about readying her to sail, while Tamba and Kobayashi made a second trip to secure more of their belongings, dragging a sled full of blankets, skins and furs, the cooking tripod, and her father's precious water pot for making tea. They used tackle to hoist the entire sled on board. Lulu scurried around stowing things she could, securing with lines the things she could find no place for, while Tamba and Kobayashi winched Delos down the pine logs one which she rested, deeper into the water. + +Lulu's heart was racing. She kept glancing back over at the darkness of the forest, half expecting to see the flash of redcoats and bayonet knives, but it was silent and dark. Whatever was happening back at camp, the soldiers did not seem to know about Delos. Lulu's heart pinched and her throat went dry when she thought too long about her sister and her father, surely by now prisoners of the soldiers, of McPhail. She tried to keep herself busy, but the truth was, once everything was stowed there was nothing for Henri and her to do. + +There was a light splashing sound when Delos came off the logs and into the water. Kobayashi waded through the stinking mud and climbed up a rope ladder Lulu hung over the side for him. She helped him rinse his pants from a barrel of salt water that was always on deck. She had never seen Kobayashi anything other than cheerful, but for the first time he seemed very serious, almost somber. He did not smile at her at he usually did, he simply nodded and went aft to find Tamba. + +Delos cleared the shadows of the oaks along the shore and the bright morning sun hit the deck. It look had all the appearance of a beautiful day, though for the crew of Delos there was no time to appreciate it. ## Birdie with her father "Do you know why I kept you behind?" Her father sat still drinking coffee, but she saw him glance frequently at the dunes behind her. -Birdie shook her head. She felt like she was going to explode. She understood what Anne had said once about battle. *Fear is different than being scared. Fear is feeling like you want to jump out of your skin and leave your body hehind*. +Birdie shook her head. She felt like she was going to explode. She understood now what Jack had said once about battle. *Fear is different than being scared. Fear is feeling like you want to jump out of your skin and leave your body behind*. Her father smiled. "I don't know what this man McPhail is like, but it's been my experience that most men are less likely to murder a man in front of his own children." Birdie felt herself floating up out of her body at these words. Her father was going to be murdered. He had gambled his life and her on a silly idea he formed somewhere along the way and she was about to pay for it by watching him die. -A shadow drifted down the dune, extending past her. It had a stick poking out the side of it. She knew there was a man behind her with a sword. Or a gun, she could not tell as the shadow was mangled in a clump of grass growing next to her, but either way, this was it. Her head felt heavy, her mouth went dry and she thought she was going to fall over. She forced herself to blink, to steady herself. *The way to master fear,* Anne had said, *is not to ignore it, it's to feel it, to acknowledge it, and then chose to focus on something else instead, focus on what you know you need to do at that moment, focus on something you have trained to do. Like fighting back.* +A shadow drifted down the dune, extending past her. It had a stick poking out the side of it. She knew there was a man behind her with a sword. Or a gun, she could not tell as the shadow was mangled in a clump of grass growing next to her, but either way, this was it. Her head felt heavy, her mouth went dry and she thought she was going to fall over. She forced herself to blink, to steady herself. *The way to master fear,* Jack had said, *is not to ignore it, it's to feel it, to acknowledge it, and then chose to focus on something else instead, focus on what you know you need to do at that moment, focus on something you have trained to do. Like fighting back.* Birdie slid her hand to her waist and gripped the handle of her knife. Things were happening slowly. Her father was talking she realized, but she had not heard what he said. He took another sip of coffee, set down his cup and stood with his hands raised in the air. "I am unarmed," he said. Slowly turning a circle so whomever was standing on the dune behind Birdie could see. I am not she thought. Was that part of her father's plan? Suddenly she felt foot steps trudging down the sand behind her, black boots passed her by, another pair stopped behind her. "Get up young lady" a voice commanded. -She stood and looked behind her for the first time. The sun was low on the horizon, golden rays bouncing off the reflective calm of the morning sea. She could not see faces for the glare, but there were soldiers all around them. They wore white wigs, one of them had on a the three pointed hats her father was always making fun of. They all carried guns, many of them wore swords as well. They wore heavy red wool coats. Birdie knew this was what English soldiers wore, she heard her father and Tamba and Kobayashi talk about redcoats before, but she'd never really understood what that meant until she saw them. They were made of wool and looked heavy, heavier than any clothing Birdie could ever remember wearing. For some reason she fixated on this detail. It was not part of her training, it was not fighting back, but somehow it made her come back around to herself. She stopped floating a few inches above her self. She settled back into her body and mind. They were ill dressed. They had made a mistake of clothing. What other mistakes might they make? There was hope here. Nothing was over yet. No one was dead. +She stood and looked behind her for the first time. The sun was low on the horizon, golden rays bouncing off the reflective calm of the morning sea. She could not see faces for the glare, but there were soldiers all around them. They wore white wigs, and three-pointed hats of the sort her father was always making fun of. They all carried guns, many of them wore swords as well. They wore heavy red wool coats. Birdie knew this was what English soldiers wore, she heard her father and Tamba and Kobayashi talk about redcoats before, but she'd never really understood what that meant until she saw them. They were made of wool and looked heavy, heavier than any clothing Birdie could ever remember wearing. For some reason she fixated on this detail. It was not part of her training, it was not fighting back, but somehow it made her come back around to herself. She stopped floating a few inches above her self. She settled back into her body and mind. They were ill-dressed. They had made a mistake in clothing. What other mistakes might they make? There was hope here. Nothing was over yet. No one was dead. --- -McPhail hadn't even come ashore with the landing party. Captain tk, the man whose shadow had first come sliding downt he dune behind her, had to send for McPhail. When he arrived he seemed, not particularly interested in either her or her father. No one bothered to chain them, no one said they were under arrest. No one did anything, though Birdie could feel, she knew, that they could not leave. +McPhail hadn't even come ashore with the landing party. Captain tk, the man whose shadow had first come sliding down the dune behind her, had to send for McPhail. When he arrived he seemed not particularly interested in either her or her father. No one bothered to chain them, no one said they were under arrest. No one did anything, though Birdie could feel, she knew, that they could not leave. -She spent most of the day trying to figure out what Lulu and the rest of her family were doing. She knew Delos was not in the marsh because the soldiers had gone down to the marsh to look around and come back and reported that there was nothing there. And yet it wasn't hard to tell that clearly it was not just her father and Aunt Māra, whom the soldier rounded up from the other end of the island, and her living here. The three of them sat around the cold ashes of the fire, her father and Aunt Māra sometimes whispering back and forth. Their voices were too low for Birdie to hear, but she could tell that her Aunt was mad at her father about something. Possibly about everything. +She spent most of the day trying to figure out what Lulu and the rest of her family were doing. She knew Delos was not in the marsh because the soldiers had gone down to the marsh to look around and come back and reported that there was nothing there. And yet it wasn't hard to tell that clearly it was not just her father and Aunt Māra, whom the soldiers rounded up from the other end of the island, and her living here. The three of them sat around the cold ashes of the fire, her father and Aunt Māra sometimes whispering back and forth. Their voices were too low for Birdie to hear, but she could tell that her Aunt was mad at her father about something. Possibly about everything. -For once birdie was half glad that tksamuel was not here to see them. She felt helpless. She did not like this feeling. She didn't not want to admit she was helpless so she plotted ways she could escape. *focus on something you have trained to do*. Birdie wished she had trained to do something. They didn't drill much when they were on shore. She knew everything to do on the ship, that would have been like breathing. They'd never had been caught in the first places, but even if they had, no one would take their ship, she felt quite sure of that. +For once Birdie was half glad that Francis was not here to see them. She felt helpless. She did not like this feeling. She didn't not want to admit she was helpless so she plotted ways she could escape. *Focus on something you have trained to do*. Birdie wished she had trained to do something. They didn't drill much when they were on shore. She knew everything to do on the ship, that would have been like breathing. They'd never had been caught in the first places, but even if they had, no one would take their ship, she felt quite sure of that. -But on land they never bothered. They had two rendevous points, depending on which way trouble came from. She assumed Delos and crew were at the river point, tied up in the clearing her father had made, up a channel in the cypress swamp. Not a perfect place to hide because there was no way to come bursting out of it, but a place very few people would ever think to look for a boat. It was a good place to lay low and wait for darkness. It was nearly a new moon, Delos would have a good dark night in which to come out of hiding and slip out into the ocean. Perhaps find Revenge, bring help of some kind. +But on land they never bothered. They had two rendezvous points, depending on which way trouble came from. She assumed Delos and crew were at the river point, tied up in the clearing her father had made, up a channel in the cypress swamp. Not a perfect place to hide because there was no way to come bursting out of it, but a place very few people would ever think to look for a boat. It was a good place to lay low and wait for darkness. It was nearly a new moon, Delos would have a good dark night in which to come out of hiding and slip out into the ocean and go find help of some kind. "Get up," said a soldier. Birdie did not look up at him, instead she studied his boots, trying to memorize them. I will know you by your boots. "Captain McPhail wants to see you." The soldier kick at her feet, startling her. @@ -2196,21 +2196,21 @@ Her father stood up. "I will go, leave her out of this." She followed her father and aunt through the dunes and down the beach where McPhail, Birdie assumed it was McPhail, sat at small table reading through some papers. "Ah, the legendary captain tk." -Birdie glanced at her father. Legendary? how did anyone from England ever know who they were? +Birdie glanced at her father. Legendary? How did anyone from England ever know who they were? "I did not know we had met" said her father. -"We have not. I am James McPhail," Captain Mcphail extend his hand and her father shook it. "And you are on my island." +"We have not. I am James McPhail," Captain McPhail extend his hand and her father shook it. "And you are on my island." "Your island?" -McPhail smiled. It was not an unpleasant smile. In fact Birdie did not thing McPhail was a particularly unpleasant person. But that made her nervous because her father always said it was the nice snakes you had to watch out for. The coiled snake hissing and ready to strike is easy to dodge, the one that gets you is the one you never say coming. Did she see McPhail coming? Did she need to? She could not decide. +McPhail smiled. It was not an unpleasant smile. In fact Birdie did not think McPhail was a particularly unpleasant person. But that made her nervous because her father always said it was the nice snakes you had to watch out for. The coiled snake hissing and ready to strike is easy to dodge, the one that gets you is the one you never saw coming. Did she see McPhail coming? Did she need to? She could not decide. "Yes, this piece of paper makes this land my island. If you look here," McPhail held out the parchment to her father, "that is the king's signature." -Her father never even glanced at it. "I am not English, so whether that is your king's signature or not," he smiled in nearly exactly the way McPhail had, slightly unpleasantly, but with that unplesantness under a thin veneer of pleasantry, "I could not say, but either way. I was not your island until you arrived and took it." +Her father never even glanced at it. "I am not English, so whether that is your king's signature or not," he smiled in nearly exactly the way McPhail had, slightly unpleasantly, but with that unpleasantness under a thin veneer of pleasantry, "I could not say, but either way... It was not your island until you arrived and took it." -"McPhail glanced around, out at the ship anchored offshore. "Well, as long as you recognize that it is mine now we're making progress. But I had rather hoped you were a reasonable man." +McPhail glanced around, out at the ship anchored offshore. "Well, as long as you recognize that it is mine now we're making progress. But I had rather hoped you were a reasonable man." Her father said nothing. @@ -2240,19 +2240,19 @@ This time McPhail smiled cruelly. "Do you see a king anywhere around us?" "No I don't" -"Well that's because I am his majesty's emmessary. He did not deem it necessary to come all this way on this piddly little errand, he entrusted me to do it for him." +"Well that's because I am his majesty's emissary. He did not deem it necessary to come all this way on this piddly little errand, he entrusted me to do it for him." "Did he? Well, let me ask you something Mr McPhail, do you see a king around here?" -"McPhail frowned. "I think we already established that. Have you been drinking? +McPhail frowned. "I think we already established that. Have you been drinking? "Do you see an army around here?" Birdie noticed McPhail almost imperceptibly flinch, "I do Mr tk. I see an infantry company that's about to take you to charlestown to be tried for trespass on the kings land." -Her father ignored the last statement, but he glanced around looking at the soldiers. "I see an infantry company of 14 men, and one warship of 32 guns. And if I were you McPhail." Her father paused and stared directly into McPhail's eyes. "If I were you that would make me very nervous." +Her father ignored the last statement, but he glanced around looking at the soldiers. "I see an infantry company of 14 men, and one warship of 32 guns. And if I were you McPhail." Her father paused and stared directly into McPhail's eyes. "If I were you, that would make me very nervous." -Her father turned and began to walk back toward camp. Birdie glanced breifly at McPhail whose mouth was gaping open and shut like a fish out of water, and then she darted off after her father, her aunt running right behind her. They caught up and the three of them walked together through the dunes. +Her father turned and began to walk back toward camp. Birdie glanced briefly at McPhail whose mouth was gaping open and shut like a fish out of water, and then she darted off after her father, her aunt running right behind her. They caught up and the three of them walked together through the dunes. "Birdie stays with me. Māra, the boat will try to get out tonight, I want you on it." @@ -2264,7 +2264,7 @@ Her father smiled. "Me probably, not you. His ego won't let him chain women in f Her father said nothing. They heard McPhail yell something. Birdie started to turn, but her father caught her arm. "forward Birdie, no looking back. You don't react, the minute you react they're in charge. Always keep them reacting to you. Even when it seems crazy." He smiled at her. The three of them stopped in the shelter of the dunes, out of sight of both the beach and the soldiers back in camp. "It's okay Birdie. We're going to be fine. You and I are going to Charlestown. Most likely by wagon. We may be separated, but don't worry, don't react. Trust that I will come get you. No matter what happens, I will come for you." -Birdie said nothing. there was a hard lump in her throat and she felt scared. Not fear, not the electric aliveness of fear, but scared. She nodded because she did not trust herself to speak without crying. She heard the clinking of metal, the sound of soldiers running. +Birdie said nothing. There was a hard lump in her throat and she felt scared. Not fear, not the electric aliveness of fear, but scared. She nodded because she did not trust herself to speak without crying. She heard the clinking of metal, the sound of soldiers running. "They're going to chain me up Birdie. Remember. Everything is going to be okay. You have to believe that." @@ -2274,38 +2274,35 @@ The soldier said nothing, but he swung the rifle clear of Birdie and Māra while --- -The sound of iron clanging woke Birdie. Every time her father rolled over, the chains on his wrists clanged together with a terrible clanging sound. She stretched her back and reached her arm out for Māra and felt nothing. Her heart started, but she was careful not to react. She continued her stretch and rolled over again. How had aunt Māra slipped out so quietly. Birdie tried to imagine her sliding out the back of the hut. Her father had made a trapdoor in the the wall that allowed anyone sleeping against the way to slip out very quietly. He and Tamba had taken turns practicing slipping out of it queitly, but so far as Birdie knew, Aunt Māra had never practiced. Apparently she did not need to Birdie thought. From there one rolled a short distance in sand and there was a small shrub you could use for cover while you stood up and stealed yourself. Then it was just a matter of slipping quietly down the path and out of camp. Once Aunt Māra, or any of the rest of them, were in the woods the soldiers didn't stand a chance. This was what her father had always told them anyway. Get the the woods and move quietly. Most people cannot move as queitly as we can and so we can avoid them. +The sound of iron clanging woke Birdie. Every time her father rolled over, the chains on his wrists clanged together with a terrible clanging sound. She stretched her back and reached her arm out for Māra and felt nothing. Her heart started, but she was careful not to react. She continued her stretch and rolled over again. How had aunt Māra slipped out so quietly that she had not heard her? Birdie tried to imagine her sliding out the back of the hut. Her father had made a trapdoor in the wall that allowed anyone sleeping against it to slip out very quietly. He and Tamba had taken turns practicing slipping out of it quietly, but so far as Birdie knew, Aunt Māra had never practiced. Apparently she did not need to Birdie thought. Once outside you rolled a short distance in sand and there was a small shrub you could use for cover while you stood up and steeled yourself. Then it was just a matter of slipping quietly down the path and out of camp. Once Aunt Māra, or any of the rest of them, were in the woods the soldiers didn't stand a chance. This was what her father had always told them anyway, get to the woods and move quietly. Most people cannot move as quietly as we can and so we can avoid them. The more Birdie thought about it the more she thought maybe they had drilled on shore. All those games she'd played with her brother and sister, trying to slip past Papa and Tamba while they hid behind trees. Practicing stalking game, moving quietly. All that was a kind of training maybe. -Birdie wasn't sure what their plan was, she had not paid much attention to the half whispers and nudnges that her Aunt and her father shared the afternoon after they put him in irons. She had been too struck by the fact that her Aunt seemed once more her Aunt. She was not a wandering ghost pacing the island. She did not seem numb and unable to see you, she looked at you again and while Birdie was still afraid, this was one good thing she had found in an afternoon she had spent mainly trying to thing of good things she could think of, because every time she looked over and saw the iron manacles on her father's arms she had trouble thinking of good things. The whole world seemed wrong. her sister and brother and the rest of her family were hiding somewhere in a swamp, trapped up the river by a 32 gun British warship and her father was in chains and he had warned her that they would be separated and none of this made Birdie feel anything but bad and scared and afraid and she wished she had a mother to hug her and tell her everything was going to be alright even if it wasn't. +Birdie wasn't sure what their plan was, she had not paid much attention to the half whispers and gestures that her Aunt and her father shared the afternoon after they put him in irons. She had been too struck by the fact that her Aunt seemed once more her Aunt. She was not a wandering ghost pacing the island. She did not seem numb and unable to see you, she looked at you again, and while Birdie was still afraid, this was one good thing she had found in an afternoon that she had mainly spent trying to think of good things. Every time she looked over and saw the iron manacles on her father's arms she had trouble thinking of good things. The whole world seemed wrong. Her sister and brother and the rest of her family were hiding somewhere in a swamp, trapped up the river by a 32 gun British warship and her father was in chains and he had warned her that they would be separated and none of this made Birdie feel anything but bad and scared and afraid and she wished she had a mother to hug her and tell her everything was going to be alright even if it wasn't. -Even now somewhere out in that blackness her people were trying to slip out of that river mouth, past the warship and off to find help. At least she hoped that was the plan. All she'd really heard was what McPhail had said, that the ship would likely make a run for it tonight and to have to watch doubled. But Birdie knew that the mouth of the river to the south of edisto was not the only way out of the marsh. So long as the ship could get downstream to the marsh undetected she could turn south, ride the high tide through the marsh to the south and come out much farther south, well out of cannon range. They would still see her though, there were no black sails on Delos, but her father had always said she was the fastest ship on the sea, so, as long as they could make it to the see, Birdie was confident they would get away. +Even now somewhere out in that blackness her people were trying to slip out of that river mouth, past the warship and off to find help. At least she hoped that was the plan. All she'd really heard was what McPhail had said, that the ship would likely make a run for it tonight and to have to watch doubled. But Birdie knew that the mouth of the river to the south of Edisto was not the only way out of the marsh. So long as Delos could get downstream to the marsh undetected she could turn south, ride the high tide through the marsh to the south and come out much farther south, well out of cannon range. They would still see her though, there were no black sails on Delos, but her father had always said she was the fastest ship on the sea, so, as long as they could make it to the see, Birdie was confident they would get away. Aunt Māra getting away was the beginning of that plan and that had worked. So far so good. Birdie rolled over toward the wall of grass siding. She wished she could slip out the hidden door and disappear. But she could not leave her father. ## Lulu on Delos escape -It all happened so fast that Lulu never had a chance to feel anything. She and Henri were off down the trail headed for Delos before it really even hit her that Birdie was not with them. It wasn't until she was knee deep in pluff mud, helping Kobayashi push Delos into deeper water that it hit her, where was Birdie. It was like something in the center of her had switched off, a vast open space created where there had been none. She wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure she and Birdie had never been apart for more than a few hours. Even then, Birdie was out fishing, or Lulu was down the river at Kadiatu's, they were both here. And now they were not. - -Kobayashi lifted her over his head and she strained up until Tamba's huge rough hands gripped hers and she was lifted up over the gunwale and onto Delos' deck. Tamba fed a line down to Kobayashi and he walked himself up the side and onto the desk beside her. He nodded as her, -"thank you." +It all happened so fast that Lulu never had a chance to feel anything. She and Henri were off down the trail headed for Delos before it really even hit her that Birdie was not with them. It wasn't until she was helping Kobayashi wash off the mud that it hit her, where was Birdie? It was like something in the center of her had switched off, a vast open space created where there had been none. She wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure she and Birdie had never been apart for more than a few hours. Even then, Birdie was out fishing, or Lulu was down the river at the traders, they were both here. And now they were not. -Lulu nodded back, but said nothing. She saw Kobayashi and Tamba exchange a look out of the corner of her eye. She ignored them and started to go to her place in the bow, to watch for sand bars, submerged trees, anything that might snag them. +Lulu headed to the bow to watch for sand bars, submerged trees, anything that might snag them. -"Not this time Lulu," said Tamba. "We need you at the helm. Henri," he turned to Henri who sat by the wheel, picking at a splinter. "We need you in the bow. You know the drill? Call out anything you see, even if you're not sure." +"Not this time Lulu," said Tamba from behind the wheel. "We need you at the helm. Henri," he turned to Henri who sat by the wheel, picking at a splinter. "We need you in the bow. You know the drill? Call out anything you see, even if you're not sure." Henri nodded in excitement and darted up to the bow. Kobayashi and Tamba went below to row. Delos had room for four oars. Or four guns, Lulu reflected, which suddenly seemed like maybe they might have their uses. She wondered if her father was changing his mind about cannon on the ship. Probably not. Four guns wouldn't do much good against the ship-of-line sitting outside the river mouth, presumably waiting for them. -She brought Delos out into the wide channel of current. She felt the boat slip and shudder at the current of the river met the current of the incoming tide. She could feel the oars lifting her, driving her against the current. Still, they were slow. What would they have done if the tide wasn't in their favor. Could Tamba and Kobayashi really row Delos up stream? It felt like they were having trouble as it was. Lulu glanced at the sun and thought for the minute. The tide would shift soon, she guessed the crest would be another hour. Then it would run out and the marsh would be impassible for Delos for the better part of eight hours. They would trapped somewhere up river until well after nightfall and then they would have the ride the river into the oncoming tide and either row, or, if they got lucky perhaps an offshore breeze could push them through the southern marsh and out the tk river mouth to the sea. That way the warship would miss them. Once they were at sea, nothing could catch Delos. She knew that. Or at least she believed the adults who told her that. Kobayashi swore by it. Only an outrigger could catch this boat he'd told her once. She hadn't known what an outrigger was, but he'd explained how the doubled thin hulls paired with a sail and some of the best sailors in the world made the outrigger the fastest, and possibly the best, boat on the sea. Lulu desperately wanted to sail an outrigger. +She brought Delos out into the wide channel of current. She felt the boat slip and shudder at the current of the river met the current of the incoming tide. She could feel the oars lifting her, driving her against the current. Still, they were slow. What would they have done if the tide wasn't in their favor? Could Tamba and Kobayashi really row Delos up stream? It felt like they were having trouble as it was. Lulu glanced at the sun and thought for the minute. The tide would shift soon, she guessed the crest would be another hour. Then it would run out and the marsh would be impassible for Delos for the better part of eight hours. They would trapped somewhere up river until well after nightfall and then they would have the ride the river into the oncoming tide and either row, or, if they got lucky perhaps an offshore breeze could push them through the southern marsh and out the Edisto river mouth to the sea. That way the warship would miss them. Once they were at sea, nothing could catch Delos. She knew that. Or at least she believed the adults who told her that. Kobayashi swore by it. Only an outrigger could catch this boat he'd told her once. She hadn't known what an outrigger was, but he'd explained how the doubled thin hulls paired with a sail and some of the best sailors in the world made the outrigger the fastest, and possibly the best, boat on the sea. Lulu desperately wanted to sail an outrigger. "Hard port!" "Coming port!" She spun the wheel and Delos swung to port. Lulu ran to the gunwale and watched as the limbs of a tree slipped by, like two bony fingers reaching out of the river, trying to catch them. -She turned Delos back into the middle of the river and squinted at the trees in the distance. They seemed so far away. Delos felt so exposed out here. She wanted to turn around and look, but she could not. Were there soldiers there on the shore watching them slide upriver. Had they captured her father and Birdie? She could not bring herself to turn around and look. It was better to wonder than to know that that had happened. There was nothing she could do anyway. She tried to force thoughts of her father and Birdie from her mind. Just focus on what you have to do. Take note of what's going on, because bad things may happen, but you can't react to them now. Never react, always act. Her father's words in her head. She tried. But somehow Birdie kept creeping back into her mind and she felt afraid. She shivered and tried to focus on the river, on the wind, the current, Henri's voice, but he sat silent in the bow. She wondered if he felt the great emptiness inside her that she felt. Is it different when you're a twin she wondered, or did everyone feel this way? +She turned Delos back into the middle of the river and squinted at the trees in the distance. They seemed so far away. Delos felt so exposed out here. She wanted to turn around and look, but she could not. Were there soldiers there on the shore watching them slide upriver? Had they captured her father and Birdie? She could not bring herself to turn around and look. It was better to wonder than to know that that had happened. There was nothing she could do anyway. She tried to force thoughts of her father and Birdie from her mind. Focus on what you have to do. Take note of what's going on, because bad things may happen, but you can't react to them now. Never react, always act. Her father's words in her head. She tried. But somehow Birdie kept creeping back into her mind and she felt afraid. She shivered and tried to focus on the river, on the wind, the current, Henri's voice, but he sat silent in the bow. She wondered if he felt the great emptiness inside her that she felt. Is it different when you're a twin she wondered, or did everyone feel this way? -Finally, after what seemed like hours, Delos drew near the trees that marked the inland border of the marsh. Then they slipped into the wider current of the river. Here the current was slower, the water deeper. Another hour brought them to the stand of flooded Cypress they'd prepared years ago in case they need to hide Delos. She brough the boat alongside the edge of the largest of the trees and Tamba and Kobayashi, exhausted from rowing, but running on that same adrenaline and fear that Lulu had used to pilot Delos, managed to secure Delos. They lowered the dingy over the side with a block and some tackle. Using a bow line, Tamba rowed the small boat further into the thicket of trees and then, wrapped the line around a large cypress, ran it back through the tackle, and slowly winched Delos into the tree grove. An hour later could have been paddling up river within twenty yards of Delos and not seen her. Lulu knew this because she took the dingy and paddled twenty yards out to fish for dinner and she had trouble finding her way back to Delos with her three catfish. +Finally, after what seemed like hours, Delos drew near the trees that marked the inland border of the marsh. Then they slipped into the wider current of the river. Here the current was slower, the water deeper. Another hour brought them to the stand of flooded Cypress they'd prepared years ago in case they need to hide Delos. She brought the boat alongside the edge of the largest of the trees and Tamba and Kobayashi, exhausted from rowing, but running on that same adrenaline and fear that Lulu had used to pilot Delos, managed to secure Delos. They lowered the dingy over the side with a block and some tackle. Using a bow line, Tamba rowed the small boat further into the thicket of trees and then, wrapped the line around a large cypress, ran it back through the tackle, and slowly winched Delos into the tree grove. An hour later you could have been paddling up river within twenty yards of Delos and not seen her. Lulu knew this because she took the dingy and paddled twenty yards out to fish for dinner and she had trouble finding her way back to Delos with her three catfish. -Kobayashi cooked the catfish below deck, waiting until the sun had set and mist coming up off the river would mask any smoke that might drift up. They ate in silence, Tamba at the bow until Lulu had finished and she came up to relieve him. It was like standing watch, but not fun and exhilerating like that was. This was scary and nerve wracking and Lulu depserately wished she could close her eyes and everything would just go back to normal, that this was all a dream should wake from, still on the beach between her sister and brother, no ship on the horizon. But it was out there, the ship that is, somewhere out there. The question they all wanted answered was whether or not it was out there looking for them. +Kobayashi cooked the catfish below deck, waiting until the sun had set and mist coming up off the river would mask any smoke that might drift up. They ate in silence, Tamba at the bow until Lulu had finished and she came up to relieve him. It was like standing watch, but not fun and exhilarating like that was. This was scary and nerve wracking and Lulu desperately wished she could close her eyes and everything would just go back to normal, that this was all a dream should wake from, still on the beach between her sister and brother, no ship on the horizon. But it was out there, the ship that is, somewhere out there. The question they all wanted answered was whether or not it was out there looking for them. They gave Lulu and Henri first watch. Tamba and Kobayashi hung their hammocks topside and slept, or tried, Lulu wasn't sure how anyone could possibly sleep right now. They rested anyway. She and Henri sat on the windlass, staring out at the darkness. @@ -2315,17 +2312,19 @@ They gave Lulu and Henri first watch. Tamba and Kobayashi hung their hammocks to "I wish Papa was here. I'm scared." -Lulu sighed. She was scared too. She wished Papa was there too. They were never apart and she did not like it. "Tamba says he'll get away as soon as he can. But he has to talk to the man, otherwise we might have to leave the island." She saw her bother's face squeeze up into a frown. +Lulu sighed. She was scared too. She wished Papa was there too. They were never apart and she did not like it. "Tamba says he'll get away as soon as he can. But he has to talk to the man, otherwise we might have to leave the island." She saw her brother's face squeeze up into a frown. "But we are leaving the island. We already left the island. And tonight we're trying to get out to sea." -"to go get help." +"To go get help." "Why do we need help Lulu? We never need help, why do we need it now?" -This stopped Lulu mid thought. She realized he was right and she had not even thought about it. She had simply accepted that they needed help. But why did they need help. And why were they hiding? If all her father was doing was talking to a man about pine trees, why did he want the ship hidden? And why did the man bring soldiers? Obviously there was more going on than Lulu had worked out. She'd been too busy and too caught up in her own fear and pain to think about the bigger picture. She'd failed what her Papa always said, detach, step back and take a look around. See the whole picture before you dive into your part in it. +This stopped Lulu mid thought. She realized he was right and she had not even thought about it. She had accepted that they needed help. But why did they need help? And why were they hiding? -Not only had she not detached, spending far too much time worrying about the future rather than using the present to create future. Worse though, she had fail to look at the bigger picture and failed to ask questions... of herself, of Tamba, of anyone. She had accepted it all as it was handed to her. +If all her father was doing was talking to a man about pine trees, why did he want the ship hidden? And why did the man bring soldiers? There must be more going on than Lulu had worked out. She'd been too busy and too caught up in her own fear and pain to think about the bigger picture. She'd failed what her Papa always said, detach, step back and take a look around. See the whole picture before you dive into your part in it. + +She had not detached, instead she'd worried about the future. Use the present to create future, wasn't that what Tamba was always saying? Worse though, she realized, she'd failed to look at the bigger picture and failed to ask questions... of herself, of Tamba, of anyone. She had accepted it all as it was handed to her. "I don't know why we need help," she said finally. @@ -2335,13 +2334,15 @@ Henry scooted closer to her so their legs were touching. She could feel his fear She wasn't sure. She could just... feel it somehow. She could see it in a vague way, she could already see them at sea in the wind and sunlight. "I don't know how I know Henri, I just know that I know." -Henry did not say anything, he just continued to lean against her. +Henry did not say anything, he continued to lean against her. Lulu watched the water in front of them shimmering black in the starlit night. Overhead the wispy cloud of stars her father called the great sail was glowing above them. Lulu felt herself relax. She felt the weight of her brother against her, warm and safe. She squeezed him tighter and said a prayer for them all. --- -The darkness felt like a black quilt wrapped around them, a cover beneath which they could disappear into safety. She still didn't know why they were running, but if that was what they were to do, then do it already, she thought. But she said nothing to Tamba and Kobayashi who had relieved her just as her eyelids were starting to drop. Henri had long since fallen asleep with his head in her lap. Kobayashi carried him back to the stern and placed him in his hammock. Lulu wanted to stay up but her eyelids were so heavy it hurt to keep them up. She didn't remember giving in, but she jolted awake again when she felt Delos move. She tried to gauge how long she had been a sleep, but she couldn't see the moon for teh trees and wasn't sure where it had been when she fell asleep anyway. +The darkness felt like a black quilt wrapped around them, a cover beneath which they could disappear into safety. She still didn't know why they were running, but if that was what they were to do, then do it already, she thought. But she said nothing to Tamba and Kobayashi who had relieved her just as her eyelids were starting to droop. + +Henri had long since fallen asleep with his head in her lap. Kobayashi carried him back to the stern and placed him in his hammock. Lulu wanted to stay up but her eyelids were so heavy it hurt to keep them up. She didn't remember giving in, but she jolted awake again when she felt Delos move. She tried to gauge how long she had been a sleep, but she couldn't see the moon for the trees and wasn't sure where it had been when she fell asleep anyway. She rolled out of her hammock with a thud and saw Tamba was at the helm, Kobayashi in the bow, winching them forward with the lines, pulling Delos out of the trees. With a start she noticed a third figure on deck and ran over to her, "Aunt Māra, how did you get here?" @@ -2349,13 +2350,13 @@ She rolled out of her hammock with a thud and saw Tamba was at the helm, Kobayas "Did you use the back door?" Lulu had always wanted to slip out of their hut using that door, but her father would never let them play with it. Now she understood why. -Her aunt smiled, "I did. And you know what?" She knelt down by Lulu. "It was fun. It was scary, but it was fun too. I felt a little like I was a little girl again." +Her aunt smiled, "I did. And you know what?" She knelt down by Lulu. "It was fun. It was scary, but it was fun too. I felt a like I was a little girl again." Lulu smiled. Somehow she could not picture her aunt as a little girl. It was impossible to see grown ups as anything other than, well, grown ups. "When did you get here?" -"Just a bit ago. Tamba and Kobayashi are pulling us out of the trees. You father wants us to cut south through the marsh, take the tk southern river and head out sea. Try to find Jack. If not him, then go to ocracoke and get Teach." +"Just a bit ago. Tamba and Kobayashi are pulling us out of the trees. You father wants us to cut south through the marsh, take the southern fork and head out sea, to Ocracoke." -Lulu's heart skipped a beat. She liked Edward. He always had good stories. And his eyes were kind, though she knew he could be rather frightening. Or at least some people were frightened of him. Her father wasn't. She wasn't. No one in her family was. Anne wasn't. Jack wasn't. And that was all that really mattered she reasoned. And if anyone could help her father, it was Edward. He always had a plan. +Lulu's heart skipped a beat. Ocracoke. Her Uncle Edward. Not really an uncle, but that was what the children had always called him. He told good stories. And his eyes were kind, though she knew he could also be rather frightening. Or at least some people were frightened of him. Her father wasn't. She wasn't. No one in her family was. And that was all that really mattered she reasoned. If anyone could help her father, it was Edward. He always had a plan. "How is Birdie?" @@ -2365,13 +2366,13 @@ Lulu shivered. "I miss her." "I know you do." She stood up again. "We'll get them back. Don't worry. You head up in the bow and help Kobayashi. It's going to be hard going in this darkness, we need all the eyes we have up there on the water. I'll go check on Henri." -Lulu went up to the bow and helped Kobayashi pull in the last of the lines. Delos was free of the trees and began to drift into the current. She kept an eye out and Kobayashi went up to raise their main sheet. It would make them easier to see, but they wouldn't get far without it. There wasn't much wind, but between what wind there was and the current of the river and tide heading out they should be able to make their way along the backside of tk island, into the tk river and use its current to get themselves out to sea. If it didn't work there were always the oars. +Lulu went up to the bow and helped Kobayashi pull in the last of the lines. Delos was free of the trees and began to drift into the current. She kept an eye out and Kobayashi went up to raise their main sheet. It would make them easier to see, but they wouldn't get far without it. There wasn't much wind, but between what wind there was and the current of the river and tide heading out, they should be able to make their way along the backside of Edisto island, into the southern fork of the Edisto, using its current to get themselves out to sea. If it didn't work there were always the oars. -Henri woke up when they moved out of the river current and into the slower water of the marsh. It felt like Delos was running aground as she moved into the slow mushy waters. Henri came and sat beside her in the bow, staring into the black water, looking for anything that might cause problems, dead trees, reeds indicating shallow water. It was all but impossible to see though. They moved through without hitting anything by Tamba's skill as a pilot and the grace of the gods who must have wanted them at sea, not stuck in a marsh. +Henri woke up when they moved out of the river current and into the slower water of the marsh. It felt like Delos was running aground as she moved into the slow mushy waters. Henri came and sat beside her in the bow, staring into the black water, looking for anything that might cause problems, dead trees, reeds indicating shallow water. It was all but impossible to see though. They moved through without hitting anything by Tamba's skill as a pilot and the grace of the gods, who must have wanted them at sea, not stuck in a marsh reasoned Lulu. -When the hit the current of the tk river on the far side of the marsh Delos's bow swung toward the sea like a horse when you drop the reins. The ship knew where she belonged, knew where she wanted to be. Tamba gave her her head and she took them rushing out the mouth of the river and into the sea. +When they hit the current of the river again on the far side of the marsh Delos's bow swung toward the sea like a horse when you drop the reins. The ship knew where she belonged, knew where she wanted to be. Tamba gave her her head and she took them rushing out the mouth of the river and into the sea. -Far to the north, somewhere up in the darkness of the shore, which didn't glitter and shimmer in the night like the sea did, was where her father and sister slept, prisoners. At least she hoped the slept. Birdie was probably asleep. Her father might be. Sometimes he would stay up for days, sailing them through a storm. Other times he would sleep soundly through a squall seemingly without even being away it had come and gone. He always seemed to know which times it was worth staying awake for and which times he could sleep though. Lulu wondered what sort of time this was. +Far to the north, somewhere up in the darkness of the shore, which didn't glitter and shimmer in the night like the sea did, was where her father and sister slept, prisoners. At least she hoped they slept. Birdie was probably asleep. Her father might be. Sometimes he would stay up for days, sailing them through a storm. Other times he would sleep soundly through a squall, seemingly without even being aware it had come and gone. He always seemed to know which times it was worth staying awake for and which times he could sleep though. Lulu wondered what sort of time this was. Aunt Māra came up to the bow and stood beside Lulu. "How are you doing?" @@ -2381,13 +2382,13 @@ Aunt Māra came up to the bow and stood beside Lulu. "How are you doing?" Lulu smiled. "No reason." -### Birdie +## Birdie Birdie woke up to the sound of men snoring. She lay in the dark trying to decided which one of them was her father when she heard a whisper in the darkness. "Birdie, are you awake yet?" "Yes." -"Listen, things are going to happen rather fast I think, so I want you to know, there is a plan here, the less you know of it the better, but don't worry." Birdie heard the wood creak as he sat up and swung his feet to the floor. "Well, I know you're going to worry, but try not to let it eat at you too much." He same over and sat beside her for a bit with his arm around her. She leaned against his side, still half asleep. +"Listen, things are going to happen rather fast I think, so I want you to know, there is a plan here, the less you know of it the better, but don't worry." Birdie heard the wood creak as he sat up and swung his feet to the floor. "Well, I know you're going to worry, but try not to let it eat at you too much." He came over and sat beside her for a bit with his arm around her. She leaned against his side, still half asleep. He grabbed her hand and spread it open in the darkness. "Take this." He put something soft in it, leather she guessed. He closed her hand over it. Use it to tie your knife higher up on your leg, against your thigh. They won't look for it there." @@ -2419,7 +2420,7 @@ They sat in silence, listening to someone outside snoring. Birdie lay back down in bed wondering what Lulu and Henri were doing on Delos. She tried to decide which was scarier, being here with all the soldiers or sailing without her Papa on board. She couldn't make up her mind, but she was glad she was the one staying behind. -She was just beginning to doze off again when a loud agry voice barked through the door. "Get out here." +She was just beginning to doze off again when a loud angry voice barked through the door. "Get out here." She sat up. It was light outside and she could see clearly in the hut now. She was surprised to realize it was just her and her father. Whomever had been snoring had been doing it from further away than she realized. She hopped down and pulled on her sailcloth pants, spreading her dress down over them. Her father motioned her back to bed and he went outside. @@ -2481,7 +2482,7 @@ Her father smiled. "No. I just don't like cities." Her father grunted. "I'm not making tar for the money Mr McPhail." -"then what are you making it for?" +"Then what are you making it for?" "I make it for the ships." @@ -2503,19 +2504,19 @@ Birdie glanced at her father, he winked at her. No was all he said. "She'll ride in the wagon with me then." -Her father glanced at her and she nodded. She'd have rather been on a horse with Papa, but the wagon might be more comfortable for a two day trip. She'd really rather have walked. At least they got to walk off the island. She saw Kadiatu and her mother when they passed near their house. McPhail seemed completely incurious about the trail that forked off the larger trail they were following off the island. Birdie noticed her father did not glance down it, but she could not help it. She saw them hidden back in the bushes. She knew the entire area would be watching. Word of the ship had no doubt spread inland. She wondered if they would see anyone at all. Most of the people in the low country relied on the money they earned smuggling goods for men like Jack Ratham to buy the things the soil would not grant them. Without the commerce from the sea, many would starve and the presence of a British warship was a threat to that commerce. Or at least it seemed like it might be, the whole countryside, the whole of the low country basin was watching to see what happened to Birdie and her father. +Her father glanced at her and she nodded. She'd have rather been on a horse with Papa, but the wagon might be more comfortable for a two day trip. She'd really rather have walked. At least they got to walk off the island. She knew the entire area would be watching them leave. The forests would full of eyes. Word of the ship had no doubt spread inland. She wondered if they would see anyone. Most of the people in the low country relied on the money they earned smuggling goods for men like Sam Bellamy to buy the things the soil would not grant them. Without the commerce from the sea, many would starve and the presence of a British warship was a threat to that commerce. Or at least it seemed like it might be, the whole countryside, the whole of the low country basin was watching to see what happened to Birdie and her father. -Birdie, at that moment, could not have cared less what happened to the low country, she just wanted to run and hug Kadi and her mother and for just a moment, not worry about anything. But instead she forced herself to look away and she kept walking without saying a word. Instead she watched the way the oak leaves shimmered and danced in the wind and morning sunlight. +Birdie, at that moment, could not have cared less what happened to the low country, she just wanted to run away from all of it. Instead she watched the way the oak leaves shimmered and danced in the wind and morning sunlight. It was nearing midday by the time they made it to the farm. It was the biggest house between Edisto and Charlestown, and owned by a man who had little tolerance for the British or anyone else who wanted to tell him what to do. He made it plain that he did not want to give any horses to McPhail or the soldiers. But McPhail kept upping the price until finally the man could not refuse. -He gave them the worst of his herd and a sad little wagon that looked to Birdie like it would fall apart long before they reached Charlestown, but she climbed in the bed anyway, preferring it to sitting next to McPhail on the riding board. Anderson, who owned the farm, gave her father the best horse, which could plainly outrun the rest of them. McPhail said nothing, but Birdie could tell that he saw all these slights, and knew them for what they were. She felt bad for him for a minute, everyone was against him and what had he done to them? But then she reminded herself that he was arresting her father, and she decided however people treated him, that was a reflection of what he did in the world. You shall reap what you so was what Kadiatu's mother always said, which sounded good if you believed you were a good person, but how did you know? Kadiatu's mother said "well, you see what you reap. Does the world treat you kindly?" +He gave them the worst of his herd and a sad little wagon that looked to Birdie like it would fall apart long before they reached Charlestown, but she climbed in the bed anyway, preferring it to sitting next to McPhail on the riding board. Anderson, who owned the farm, gave her father the best horse, which could plainly outrun the rest of them. McPhail said nothing, but Birdie could tell that he saw all these slights, and knew them for what they were. She felt bad for him for a minute, everyone was against him and what had he done to them? But then she reminded herself that he was arresting her father, and she decided however people treated him, that was a reflection of what he did in the world. You shall reap what you sew was what Aunt Māra always said, which sounded good if you believed you were a good person, but how did you know? Aunt Māra said "well, you see what you reap. Does the world treat you kindly?" -Birdie used two scraps of burlap sack left in the wagon to fashion a pillow and lay down on ther back to stare up at the sky and think. There was nothing better for thinking than the limitless view of the blue sky. The wagon lurched and shuddered across some dried mud ruts and onto the road. Birdie sat up and held on to the side until they found a grooves of the road. It would soft until they got out of the marshlands, then the road would turn hardpack, horrible and jarring. Birdie lay back to enjoy the sky while she could. +Birdie used two scraps of burlap sack left in the wagon to fashion a pillow and lay down on her back to stare up at the sky and think. There was nothing better for thinking than the limitless view of the blue sky. The wagon lurched and shuddered across some dried mud ruts and onto the road. Birdie sat up and held on to the side until they found a grooves of the road. It would be soft until they got out of the marshlands, then the road would turn hardpack, horrible and jarring. Birdie lay back to enjoy the sky while she could. -Was it true was Kadiatu's mother said, you reap what you sow. It sounded nice and it seemed like something that might be true because it was so simple. Everyone new if you put corn in the ground, corn came up. No one ever put corn in the ground and ended up with squash, or beans. But was life itself the same? Birdie was suspicious of things grownups said that were hard for her to test. How did anyone know that you reaped what you sowed? What did her father sow to reap being arrested? +Was it true what Aunt Māra said, you reap what you sow? It sounded nice and it seemed like something that might be true because it was so simple. Everyone knew if you put corn in the ground, corn came up. No one ever put corn in the ground and ended up with squash, or beans. But was life the same way? Birdie was suspicious of things grownups said that were hard for her to test. How did anyone know that you reaped what you sowed? What did her father sow to reap being arrested? -He lived, she lived, on an island, and burned stumps to make tar for ships. They harmed no one. Or did they? She knew Anne and Jack robbed ships. She knew they captured the ships, took their cargo and sold it for their own profit. And she knew Jack and Anne used that money to pay her family to careen their ships and for the barrels of tar they had left with. Did that make what her father did wrong too? Was it too closely associated with Jack and Anne? What about the people in Charlestown who sold flour that ended up on the Revenge? Or salt pork? Or anything else, were they too pirates in some way? Responsible for what anyone they sold their goods too did once they had their goods? Was what Jack and Anne did wrong anyway? Hadn't the Spanish Galleons stole the gold from the people that lived on the main? Did that make what Jack and Anne did okay? Or did it make them further guilty? More blood on the money as her father always said about Spanish Gold and Silver. He refused to touch it, called it cursed, and said it would ruin the men that took it and kept it for themselves. He said it would sit in their storehouses and rot them from the inside, eat away at the souls of those whose livelihoods were built on it, and all those who came after them. It would fester like a lesion on the soul of the nation until the nation collapsed and disappeared and the gold returned to the earth from which it came. But then her father was prone to saying things like that. Birdie wasn't so sure. It seemed to her that the merchants got rather rich and didn't seem to rotting much. She'd said this to him once and he'd said, "you're not thinking long enough Birdie." +He lived, she lived, on an island, and burned stumps to make tar for ships. They harmed no one. Or did they? She knew Sam and Jack and Uncle Edward robbed ships. She knew they captured the ships, took their cargo and sold it for their own profit. And she knew Sam, Jack, Edward and others used that money to pay her family to careen their ships and for the barrels of tar they needed. Did that make what her father did wrong too? Was it too closely associated with that theft? What about the people in Charlestown who sold flour that ended up on the Whydah? Or salt pork? Or anything else? Were they too pirates in some way? Responsible for what anyone they sold their goods too did once they had their goods? Was what Sam and Jack did wrong anyway? Hadn't the Spanish Galleons stole the gold from the people that lived on the main? Did that make what Sam and Jack did okay? Or did it make them further guilty? More blood on the money as her father always said about Spanish gold and silver. He refused to touch it, called it cursed, and said it would ruin the men that took it and kept it for themselves. He said it would sit in their storehouses and rot them from the inside, eat away at the souls of those whose livelihoods were built on it, and all those who came after them. It would fester like a lesion on the soul of the nation until the nation collapsed and disappeared and the gold returned to the earth from which it came. But then her father was prone to saying things like that. Birdie wasn't so sure. It seemed to her that the merchants got rather rich and didn't seem to rotting much. She'd said this to him once and he'd said, "you're not thinking long enough Birdie." For a long time she'd thought he meant she had not thought about it for long enough, but then one day when she'd mentioned it to Lulu and Henri, Henri, who had sat very quiet while she and Lulu talked about the morality of the pirates they were pretending to be, had said Birdie, he means you're not thinking long enough in time. She'd asked him what he meant and he just shrugged, "Papa always thinks about things way in the future. He wasn't saying they'll rot right now, he means the weight they have brought on themselves will be there forever. Or until the get rid of it." @@ -2537,15 +2538,15 @@ Henri smiled. "Because it's fun." "What sort of pirate gives away their loot?" Asked Lulu. -"Wed do," said Henri. +"We do," said Henri. "We're not pirates Henri," said Birdie. "No, I mean in the game." -They had gone on with the game but Birdie had lost some of her enthusiasm for playing pirates after talking with Henri. What was the point of being a pirate if all you were doing was bringing some vague future ruin on yourself and your family? Anne seemed to do it just because it was fun. If she cared about whatever Revenge captured she never showed it. Birdie had never once heard her mention anything they'd captured. She had plenty of stories of attacking ships and even scary stories of boarding ships, but she had no stories about whatever was on those ships. Either she thought that was something Birdie wasn't interested in or she thought it was something Birdie shouldn't be interested in or she just didn't think about it. Was it wrong to robs someone if you just took what they had and gave it to someone else? +They had gone on with the game but Birdie had lost some of her enthusiasm for playing pirates after talking with Henri. What was the point of being a pirate if all you were doing was bringing some vague future ruin on yourself and your family? Anne had seemed to want to do it just because it was fun. In fact almost none of the stories she'd ever heard sailors tell had much to do with gold. She had plenty of stories of attacking ships and even scary stories of boarding ships, but she had no stories about whatever was on those ships. Either they thought that was something Birdie wasn't interested in or they thought it was something Birdie shouldn't be interested in or they just didn't think about it. Was it wrong to robs someone if you just took what they had and gave it to someone else? -Birdie also wondered why grownups were so concerned with gold and silver and money in the first place. So far as she could tell all you really needed was a little land to have a place to camp, some place to hunt, someplace to cook. Why did you need more than food and place to sleep anyway? Well, some things are nice. Some thing you need. She needed her knife, and her fishing net. And the gun her father was always promising her, but never actually getting her. And her horsehair brush, she loved her horsehair brush. And her ragdoll Jane. And her notebook. But that was it. All that fit in her sea chest. There was no need for anything else. +Birdie also wondered why grownups were so concerned with gold and silver and money in the first place. So far as she could tell all you really needed was a little land to have a place to camp, some place to hunt, someplace to cook. Why did you need more than food and place to sleep anyway? Well, some things were nice. Some thing you need. She needed her knife, and her fishing net. And the gun her father was always promising her, but never actually getting her. And her horsehair brush, she loved her horsehair brush. And her ragdoll Jane. And her notebook. But that was it. All that fit in her sea chest. There was no need for anything else. Her reverie was interrupted when a dark cloud of pigeons filled the sky. The soldiers began shooting them down and tossing their bloody caresses in the wagon. "You know how to clean a pigeon young lady?" asked McPhail. Birdie shook her head. McPhail glanced at her father. "She can clean a hog if your men want to hunt something edible." @@ -2567,7 +2568,7 @@ Her father leaned forward on the pommel of his saddle and looked at McPhail for "Are you implying that the city of Charlestown is some kind of den of pirates like Nassau?" -"No, not really, you might find a few more liberal privateers down at the harbor taverns, but whether or not the men are there, the ships come and good, the goods come and go. Or well, they do when there are not British warships in the harbor. And when the goods don't come, they don't go, and no one makes any money." +"No, not really, you might find a few more liberal privateers down at the harbor taverns, but whether or not the men are there, the ships come and go, the goods come and go. Or well, they do when there are not British warships in the harbor. And when the goods don't come, they don't go, and no one makes any money." "I was warned of this." @@ -2577,9 +2578,14 @@ Her father leaned forward on the pommel of his saddle and looked at McPhail for Her father laughed. "Oh, I don't care about commerce at all. I like to sail, and fish, and hunt. In that order." -### Lulu and Delos at Sea +## Lulu and Delos at Sea + + + +:TODO: Proof from here: + -They were well out of the river mouth before the easter sky even hinted at sawn, but there was little wind to speed them over the horizon. They had hoped to sail east, out of sight and then cut north to find Revenge, which was likely north of Charlestown, watching the shipping routes to London and Bristol. The wind was not cooperating though. In a flat out race they could not beat the British warship. It was bigger and heavier, but it had more sails and could catch more wind. Tamba still believed they could out race it, but even he didn't want to try right now. So they were going to do what the warship could not, sail close the wind, row if they must, and use the tides and shallows to their advantage. They could lose her in the tidal marshes of the shoreline, they just had to get north of her first. That was the first race, and they had one distinct advantage: surprise. The tk warship's crew weren't on the lookout for a ship. They might know something was hidden up the river, but they did not know it was Delos or that she would slip out under the cover of night. They had a head start, the question was, how much would that help. +They were well out of the river mouth before the eastern sky even hinted at dawn, but there was little wind to speed them over the horizon. They had hoped to sail east, out of sight and then cut north to find Revenge, which was likely north of Charlestown, watching the shipping routes to London and Bristol. The wind was not cooperating though. In a flat out race they could not beat the British warship. It was bigger and heavier, but it had more sails and could catch more wind. Tamba still believed they could out race it, but even he didn't want to try right now. So they were going to do what the warship could not, sail close the wind, row if they must, and use the tides and shallows to their advantage. They could lose her in the tidal marshes of the shoreline, they just had to get north of her first. That was the first race, and they had one distinct advantage: surprise. The tk warship's crew weren't on the lookout for a ship. They might know something was hidden up the river, but they did not know it was Delos or that she would slip out under the cover of night. They had a head start, the question was, how much would that help. Tamba pushed them nearly four miles out and then turned north. They had a northwest wind at their back, but as the moved closer back to shore it would fall off. While Edisto Island faced nearly due east, most the coast line faced south and the land to the south didn't extend out as far, which meant winds from the south were blocked by the land when you got close to the island. That meant that while Delos had 13 knots of wind, and was moving at over 9 knots, the British ship closer to shore would have trouble finding southerly wind at all. Of course Delos would run into the same problem as she got closer to shore, but if all went well, they would already be far enough north of the other ship that it wouldn't ever get within cannon range. @@ -2641,7 +2647,7 @@ They watched a tiny puff of smoke and then there was another roaring sound. The Tamba shrugged. "We get put in jail with your father and have to come up with a new plan. If I know you father, he's already working on that part." -### Road to Charletown. +## Road to Charletown. Her father was up before dawn. He nudged Birdie's foot and moved around so their heads were together. "How's my girl?" @@ -2685,7 +2691,7 @@ This sent a chill down Birdie's back. "I don't want to leave you." Her father was quiet for a moment. "That's the hardest part. The waiting. We will give them six days. If nothing has happened after six days then I will get out the hard way and come find you. Wherever you are be kind to the servants, befriend any of the slaves you're around, they can help you get messages to me. And I will send messages to you as best I can. But always keep your eyes and ears open. Wherever you end up they will be in touch with McPhail and know what's happening. Always be silent. Always listen. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I love you Birdie." -### Lulu and Delos into the night +## Lulu and Delos into the night The sun was already below the horizon when Lulu woke up. She and Henri had laid down in the hammocks to try to make up for the sleep they'd lost last night and the sleep they'd lose tonight. Lulu didn't think she could sleep with a warship periodically firing cannons at them, but she did. She remembered her father once saying, you'd be surprised what you can get used to, but she'd not really believed him until now. She lay there a moment in the hammock just listening to the silence of the boat plunging though the sea, there was no other sound and it was easy to believe she was alone in the world. That the whole world was just this boat and there was no British warship around, no England at all, just ocean and her ship sailing in between worlds where no owned the trees and everyone was nice. Then she got up and looked around. The British ship was no closer and in little while it would be dark. @@ -2797,7 +2803,7 @@ Tamba smiled. "Probably." "Sounds like a fantastic plan." Thatch rubbed his hands together. "We're been itching for a prize around here. It turns out the men are less impressed with my property than they are with more, well, tangible goods. We've a bit of work to do as well of coures, but when is that ever done? A ship is nothing but work. Nothing but work. Sometimes you just have to say enough. Trim the sails and find the following wind." He patted Henri's head. "Mr Dobbs, call the men, let's put it to a vote and go get ourselves another ship. Maybe we can even," he glanced mischievously at Lulu and Henri, "recruit some new crew members." -### Birdie at the rich people's house, father in jail +## Birdie at the rich people's house, father in jail The road into Charlestown became too rough to lie down in the back of the wagon. Birdie braced herself against that side, her legs stretched across the width and bed and pressed firmly against the other side to keep her from sliding around as the wagon lurched and shuddered over the deep, dry ruts of the road. She tried to ignroe McPhail but her kept asking her questions and she knew it was impolite to not answer them, and she wanted him to like her since her fate, and her father's fate was as least partly in his hands. Until Revenge showed up anyway. Please hurry Lulu, she sent the thought out into the universe in hopes that her sister or her bother would hear her, please hurry. @@ -2857,7 +2863,7 @@ The entire town turned out to watch the soldiers ride in, and especially to see Bridie watched The faces watching her from doorways. She saw a mixture of expressions. Some clearly uneasy at the sight of the soldiers, uneasy at the sight of her father in chains. Others seemed pleased to see both. And every now and then she noticed men whose expression was inscrutable. Men and women who seemed neither uneasy, nor pleased. Men and women who were trying to sense which way the wind was blowing. Men and women who could only sail where the wind blew them. Men and women who were dangerous, to themselves, to the world around them. -### Lulu and Henri at sea. +## Lulu and Henri at sea. The next day Delos sailed out of the cove at Ocracoke, followed closely by Queen Anne's Revenge, tk, and tk, the latter two being prize ships that Thatch and crew had decided to keep for the time being since a show of force, rather than speed was called for on this occasion. The winds and current were against them coming out to the east and of the island, but as the rounded the point and moved into the ocean, the wind blew west southwest and Delos could bear almost directly for Charlestown. Queen Anne's Revenge and the other ships, being square rigged, could not sail quite a close to the wind, and had to tack. After consulting with Thatch Tamba agreed that Delos would sail to the mouth of the river and wait, staying out of sight as much as possible, posing as a fishing vessel should they be spotted. Tamba believed they would make Charlestown before the sun set, but it would likely be a long night of sailing either way since they'd probably have to tack back and forth all night. Unless they got their early enough to set an anchor before the light disappeared. Tamba and Kobayashi set the sails and gave her the course before they went below to get some rest, leaving Lulu on watch. She knew that Aunt Māra was to keep an eye on her, but she also knew Aunt Māra was no sailor and that Tamba was trusting her to keep the ship on course and the sails smartly trimmed. @@ -2883,7 +2889,7 @@ She watched them row into the night and then she went below to start the stove a She sat down on the stool Kobayashi kept by the stove and opened the door to the fire chanber to warm her hands. She fed in a few more sticks and waited for the water to boil. She watched the orange glow within the stove and wondered what Birdie was doing at the moment. Probably sleeping. If she was luckily. What was her father doing? Probably also sleeping. She glanced aft to where Delos's guns would be if she had any guns. There was a faint glow around the hatch door which meant the sun was rising. That meant her father probably wasn't sleeping. Neither was Birdie. It also meant Tamba and Kobayashi should have captured the pilot boats by now. Soon the dreaded pirate Blackbeard's flagship would appear on Charlestown's eastern horizon and with any luck that would strike enough fear in the hearts of its citizens that they would release her father and sister, and then... and then what? For the first time it hit Lulu that they would not be going back to Edisto. That, even assuming everything in the next few hours went according to plan and they made their escape, nothing would ever be the same again. They might escape his clutches, but Captain McPhail still owned the island. Still claimed the trees. Still had the soldiers to drive them right off it again. Wherever they went after this, for the first time Lulu began to understand, nothing would be the same, -### Father in Jail, Birdie to some charlestown family. +## Father in Jail, Birdie to some charlestown family. The wagon stopped in front of the jailhouse. It was tiny and a little bit forlorn. It seemed better suited to some higher duty, like a storehouse, or perhaps a shop. Birdie almost felt sorry for it. McPhail climbed down from the wagon and went inside without so much as a glance at Birdie. Her father sidestepped his horse closer to the wagon. @@ -2995,7 +3001,7 @@ Her father smiled at her. "I don't know, where do you want to go?" "There's rats?" -### Lulu and Henri at sea +## Lulu and Henri at sea The sun was just past it's peak when Queen Anne's revenge appeared on the horizon. Tamba and Kobayashi had come back hours before with one of the pilot boats and six men under guard. They were below decks now, tied up. Lulu had given them fish and water. They were sullen and did not eat. She had felt sorry for them when she went below to get them water as Kobayashi had asked her, but by the time she came back up on deck she decided they were a rude lot and she didn't really care what became of them. @@ -3021,7 +3027,7 @@ Lulu paced the aft deck. Henri fell asleep in Aunt Māra's lap. Kobayashi sat on When the people of Charlestown awoke the next morning, they found themselves effectively prisoners of a terrifying man who moved in a cloud of smoke and now commanded the very warship that had been sent to protect them. At first light, in the silence of the morning, a shrieking whistle came screaming through the pink dawn and exploded in the courtyard of the residence of the mayor, blowing out windows and sending shrapnel searing through plaster walls. The kitchen was destroyed, one pig torn in the half by a chunk of cannon ball, and very loud message delivered. The king is not here. We are here. -### Birdie and her father +## Birdie and her father Birdie jolted awake just like Lulu did, but for her the whistling sound came before the sound of the firing, which was only a split second ahead of the explosion as the cannon ball found the governor's mansion and the poor unsuspecting pig, which Birdie did not know about. She was about the jump up when she felt her father's hand on her arm, holding her down. "Patience." @@ -3101,7 +3107,7 @@ The wagon turned up Meeting street, headed for the shoreline. Near the end the r "Way to make an entrance" muttered one of the sailors who was rowing them back toward Queen Anne's Revenge. -### Back together on Delos. +## Back together on Delos. The long boat hadn't even touch Delos when Birdie leaped off and onto Delos' webbing. She felt her father and Tamba climbing up behind her, but she raced on up and over the gunwale in such a hurry she knocked Lulu and Henri over and all three of the sprawled in a heap on the deck. Birdie quickly gathered them up and they all squeezed each other until the could not breath and burst out laughing and rolled apart. @@ -3157,7 +3163,7 @@ Her father grunted and rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "That's true, but McPhail Her father narrowed his eyes at her and smiled. "Now you're talking." -### Back to camp +## Back to camp Their camp looked just as they had left it. Birdie ran ahead of her father and Edward's men who'd come for the tar. As she crested the dunes and looked down she half expected it to all be gone, but it was all there, the hut, the fire, the kettles beside it. Everything just as she had left it that afternoon, just a few days ago she realized with a start. A few days and the whole world had turned upside down. @@ -3201,7 +3207,7 @@ Lulu nodded. "Yeah, it could be nice to be in a town for a while. Do you think t -### Bridie goes on a hunt +## Bridie goes on a hunt It was midday before the Henri and hunters returned with two boar and a deer. The crew had already built a fire and wasted no time cleaning the animals and loading them onto spits. Henri strutted about the camp like some great warrior hunter even though Birdie knew he hadn't had anything to do actually killing any of the animals. Her father caught her glaring at Henri's back and asked her why she was scowling. On a whim she told him it was because no one ever asked her to go hunting. Her father looked at her for a minute and then smiled. "Well Tamba's going again this afternoon to get something for us to bring when we head south, tell him you want to go." He turned and then spun back around and added, "And tell him I said you can use my gun." @@ -3274,7 +3280,7 @@ Birdie was embarrassed and she was thankful the deep evening shadows of the oaks -### Ending scene +## Ending scene @@ -3290,7 +3296,7 @@ Lulu leaned against the gunwale watching Queen Anne's Revenge silhouetted agains -### following your path campfire talk +## following your path campfire talk It was a quiet night. Her father usually played the fiddle and Aunt Māra and her husband and Kadiatu and Tamba would dance, but tonight he never reached for the instrument. They sat talking, or quietly watching the flames flicker. |