CHAPTER THREE - THE PIRATE AND THE OLD MAN
CHAPTER FOUR - THE GHOST OF THE PAST
CHAPTER 7 - THE WAGER
The men on Roanoke Island had gathered at the base of the watch tower. There had been a great deal of grumbling when the report had been given that the Skye had just passed the Concord and continued to close in on the Summerfield. There were even more howls of discontent when the lookout had reported that the sails of the Concord were actually luffing in the wind.
Mr. Hill had been taking bets all morning on which of these ships would arrive first in the harbor. Most of the men had wagered on the Summerfield, although some had taken the odds on the Concord. If the Skye, arrived first Mr. Hill stood to make a small fortune.
"Final bets, gentlemen, final bets. Four to one odds on the Summerfield and even odds on the Skye." called out the industrious book man.
Some of the men doubled down on their bets, while others placed bets on the Skye in the hopes of just breaking even. With each bet, Mr. Hill wrote down the wager and placed the silver in the purse that was held by a larger burly man with deep scars upon his face and only one eye.
"Last call!" cried out Mr. Hill.
Lord Pembroke had been watching all the festivities with a great deal of intrigue. He had recently arrived in Roanoke on the Queen's business. And Queen Anne had business with the Captain of the Concord, business that Lord Pembroke had personally recommended.
"Tell me, what are the odds on the Concord." asked Lord Pembroke.
All the men laughed and jeered at the inquiry. "Who would ever bet on the Concord?" "The Captain is a slovenly sailor who can't even keep his sails trimmed." "That barnacle has cost me my money!" And a whole host of other insults were hurled about.
"Now, now lads calm down, calm down. Your Lordship, I am an honest man and I would just be taking your money if allowed such a bet." retorted Mr. Hill.
"Again sir, what are the odds on the Concord." asked Lord Pembroke.
"Well your Lordship, if you are bound and determined to be parted with your money on a foolish bet, I will give you ten to one odds." replied Mr. Hill.
"Two Crowns then."
"Ten shillings, your Lordship, we are simple folk, no one could cover such a bet as that, ten shillings would be the entire purse and then some, we are a long ways from London."
"A crown then, five shillings you surely could cover that bet."
Mr. Hill turned to the man holding the purse, he conferred with his book and did some quick calculations. With that bet if the Skye won he would book 25 shillings, if the Summerfield won he would book 10 shillings but if the Concord won he would lose the entire purse and have nothing for his troubles. Mr. Hill spoke quietly with the one eyed man, who simply nodded in agreement.
"We shall take that bet, but if you please sir, put your money in the purse."
And with that the wager had been made.
The Skye had passed the Concord and was closing on the Summerfield. The crew of the Concord grew quiet, knowing but not saying, that their fortunes had just taken a turn of the worse. Captain Lewis looked into the sky at the position of the Sun, another hour, just one more hour and the Summerfield would be committed to going through the Croatan Sound with the Skye close behind.
The Captain consulted his black book of the tides, in another hour perhaps a little longer the tide would begin to rise. In another hour, the Concord would be too close to the Croatan Sound, she had to be slowed even more, without tipping off the Captain of the Summerfield. He would give the Concord Angel's Wings and put the mainsail against the wind. Angel's Wings can only be given to a ship sailing down wind, the foresail and the jib are trimmed to the port side and the aft sail is trimmed to the starboard. Under normal circumstances this increases the speed of the ship but with the mainsail trimmed against the wind the Concord should slow. Aaron hoped that the Angel's wings would, from a distance, conceal the trimmed mainsail.
"Mr. Hagney, prepare to jibe the aft sail." Captain Lewis cried out.
"Aye aye Captain, prepare to jibe the aftsail." he shouted to the crew.
"Jibe Ho!"
Mr. Hagney pulled the lines of the aft sail until they crossed the aft deck and once again filled with wind giving the Concord Angel's Wings. The crew became a bit more alive thinking that now the Concord would gain speed, but such hope was dashed when the Captain called out.
"Mr. Hagney, trim the mainsail into the wind."
Mr. Hagney paused, it was an odd command, trimming the mainsail into the wind would slow the Concord. Again, the Captain called out.
"Mr. Hagney, if you please, trim the mainsail into the wind."
"Aye, aye Capatain, trim the mainsail into the wind."
The crew sighed and slowly but surely followed their Captain's command. And with the trimming of the mainsail the Concord slowed. The men fell silent and sat down upon the deck, seeking whatever shade they could find from the hot Carolina Sun. Captain Lewis stayed the course and and kept his eyes on the Summerfield, the Skye and the Sun.
The Summerfield and the Skye kept sailing farther ahead and farther towards the Croatan Sound, as the Concord barely moved through the water. He had slowed the Concord, and the Captain of the Summerfield had failed to notice.
After an hour Captain Lewis took out his spyglass and again scanned the mouth of the Roanoke Sound, the waves were still breaking on the shoals and time was running out. He called for Mr. Hagney.
"Mr. Hagney if you have a moment."
"Yes, sir." Mr. Hagney strolled across the deck taking his time as everything on the Concord had slowed down.
"Take my spyglass and look over at the entrance to the Roanoke Sound."
Mr. Hagney, took the spyglass and studied the entrance to the Roanoke Sound. While he studied the waters, the Captain inquired.
"Do you see that small island on the south side of the entrance to the Sound?
"Yes, sir."
"That island is called Duck Island. Do you see that small bit of sand that protrudes to the west?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you see how the breaker waves hit that bit sand and extend well beyond Duck Island across the length of Roanoke Sound."
"Yes, sir."
"I want you and Kevin to get up in the crows nest and keep an eye on those breaker waves just beyond Duck Island and when they disappear you call down to me right away."
"Yes, sir! Come on Kevin its time to climb the rigging."
Kevin stood still and stared at the height of mast. It was one thing to climb the rigging while at dock, but he was at sea and the waves though small still tossed the Concord to and fro. His eyes widened, the mast was so tall,he was so small and Kevin began to shake just a bit.
Kate noticed his hesitation. She whispered in his ears.
"Take a deep breath, now be a brave lad and go with Mr. Hagney. Watch, listen and learn."
Kevin followed Mr. Hagney across the deck to the rigging.
"You first lad, I will be right behind you. Wait, take off those shoes they have no place on the rigging. Use both hands to hold the ropes and one foot at a time climb to the crows nest."
Mr. Hagney hoisted Kevin onto the ropes. Kevin grabbed hold of the ropes with both hands and began to climb. With each step up, the wind seemed to get louder and the waves suddenly seemed much larger and the pitch of the ship much greater. Slowly, Kevin made his way up the rigging, with Mr. Hagney right behind him. When he was almost to the top, Kevin looked down. He froze terrified of the height, of the wind and of the waves.
"Don't look down, never look down, only up! Now go on boy get up there" Mr. Hagney shouted.
Kevin broke free of his fear and climbed the rest of the way into the crows nest. The world opened up before his eyes. He could see for miles, the wind felt good upon his face and in the safety of the crows nest the pitch of the ship upon the waves no longer bothered him. He smiled, he had done it.
"Well done lad, well done in deed." said Mr. Hagney as he entered the crows nest.
Kate, who had been watching anxiously from the deck, gave a big sigh of relief. He had done it, Kevin had climbed the rigging while at sea.
Mr. Hagney kept the watch with the spyglass. The Concord continued, slowly on her northerly course towards the Croatan Sound. Every few minutes, Mr. Hagney would call down to the Captain, "Breakers off Duck Island!". With each report, Captain Lewis grew more nervous, he had to change course soon, but if he went to early the Concord would run aground upon the shoals at the mouth of the Roanoke Sound.
Finally, the the report Captain Lewis had been waiting for came from the crow's nest.
"Smooth water off Duck Island!"
"Prepare to jibe! Jibe Ho!" called the Captain.
Captain Lewis threw the wheel, and the Concord swiftly lurched to starboard and the aft sail whipped across the deck, filled by the wind.
"Trim the mainsail!" cried the Captain.
The Concord sped towards the mouth of the Roanoke Sound. Captain Lewis knew the gamble he was taking. As the tide rose, eventually the water would rise just enough for the Concord to sail over the shoals that guarded the Roanoke Sound, but the timing had to be correct, if he arrived too soon the Concord would run aground and risk being stuck for hours or worse being swamped by the waves.
"Mr. Hagney, report!"
"Breaker waves, dead ahead, at 500 yards!"
Still the Captain stayed his course, and the Concord with sails filled by the wind sped straight towards the breaker waves. The crew stared straight ahead finally seeing the breakers at a distance. Onward the Concord sailed!
"Mr Hagney, report!"
"Breaker waves, dead ahead at 300 yards."
Captain Lewis, looked to the sky to assess the the location of the Sun. He briefly looked into his black book of the tides. He held his course. Kate watched nervously, along with the rest of the crew, as the breaker waves appeared closer on the horizon. She looked over at Aaron, and smiled. He had that look about him, the look of a man in complete control. At times like these, she thought him magnificent, and her heart swelled with pride and joy.
"Mr. Hagney, report!"
"Breaker waves, dead ahead at 200 yards."
The crew became nervous, surely the Captain would slow the Concord before she came too close to the shoals. The breaker waves were now clearly visible for all to see. Finally, the report that Captain Lewis had been waiting for came from the crow's nest.
"Clear waters straight ahead Captain. Well done Aaron, well done!" Mr. Hagney shouted, briefly forgetting the formalities.
The Concord slipped over the shoals and into the Roanoke Sound. With the wind and with the tide behind her the Concord would be in port long before the Summerfield and the Skye.
"The Concord has cleared the shoals of Roanoke." came the cry from the watch tower on Roanoke Island.
Lord Pembroke smiled.
"Damn!" was all that Mr. Hill had to say.
As the Concord docked at port, Mr. Hill took the purse from the one eyed man and paid Lord Pembroke his winnings.
"Thank you sir, and let this be a lesson to you, never bet against Captain Aaron Lewis."