CHAPTER FOURTEEN - THE MEN OF POQUOSON
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - THE SELECT MEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - THE GUNNER
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - THE DEVIL COMES TO FRISCO
CHAPTER 19 - TO BATH TOWN AND BACK AGAIN
As the longboat slipped off the beach of Frisco, Andrew ran towards his mother and fell into her arms. The devil had left Frisco, but the danger remained. Jack stood still on the beach with pistol in hand until the longboat had faded out of sight on its way to Okracoke harbor.
Turning briefly he watched as the other lads returned to the village, reunited with their families. Quietly the villagers gathered the body of Magnus to take him home, one last time. Jack swiftly made his way towards Angelica who held Andrew tightly in her arms.
"Come, we have work." these were the only words he spoke as he walked on by.
Angelica McPherson turned to follow Jack, pulling Andrew behind her, as they all made their way to her house. Down the path, no one speaking, just resolutely walking towards the home of the widow McPherson. As Jack leapt up on the front porch, with Angie right behind him. Before he could open the door Angelica grabbed his arm.
"What do you mean we have work to do?"
"You and Andrew must leave this place."
"Why? Did you know that man? What happened on the beach?"
Angelica had many questions and would not be moved until she had answers. Jack sighed.
"Aye, I know that man and today I made a deal with the devil, for your sake and the sake of the boy."
Jack stared into Angie's dark eyes as she trembled with fright staring back at him seeking comfort and reassurance that all would be well. But all would not be well for the devil had come to Frisco.
"Angie, that was a press gang. There are two ships in the harbor and they need men, for war has been declared against France and Spain. The Captains will have their crew, one way or another. I promised that in two days time I would go to Okracoke and sign aboard the crew of that man's ship for the release of the lads. That man will honor our agreement, but his Captain shall never honor it. A press gang will return with more men and with more muskets. If any resist them, the entire village of Frisco shall feel the wrath of the Captain by fire and by sword. I suspect that they shall return by dawn tomorrow, perhaps the next day, but return they shall. Your musket, my sword and the knives of Frisco shall not be enough hold them off. Now gather your things, whatever you can not be parted with for we set sail on my boat before the hour is up."
"Where shall we go, what shall become of my place, and of Frisco?"
"We shall go to Bath Town for I have an old friend there and he shall welcome you and the boy. Now hurry for there is little time to waste."
Jack had spoken with such authority and urgency, that whatever fear and despair was in Angelica's heart, was overcome by the strength of his words and she heeded his instructions. Angelica and Andrew gathered their belongings, only those things of importance, the cookware, the seeds for the garden, their clothes, the musket and their silver. All else was left behind.
Jack quickly stowed his belongings in the sea chest from the Skye, still heavy laden with silver and gold.
The three of them hastily made their way down the path and onto the beach where Jack's boat remained. Loading their worldly possessions onto the Glencoe, they pushed her into the water, raised the sails and sped across the Sound towards the safety of Bath Town and the home of James Murray.
The day quickly faded into night as the Glencoe cut through the waters of the Sound headed east, back to where Jack had parted with Kevin, back to where his path of vengeance had begun. Not a word had been spoken as the darkness surrounded them in their flight from Frisco.
Andrew found rest under the bow of the boat and slept soundly. Angelica stared at the moon with tears in her eyes for all that she had was once again taken from her. No home, no peace, no place to call her own in the world. A small smile came across her face when she heard Andrew snoring lightly, she had him, she had her son and that was all that matter.
Jack had saved her most precious belonging in the world, Andrew. Her eyes turned to Jack, who seemed oblivious to her plight, as he guided the Glencoe eastward by the stars in the heaven. Angelica made her way closer to Jack. She lay her head upon his shoulder, wrapped her arms about his waist and fell into a deep sleep.
As Angelica slept, Jack pondered his choices, for here she was, a fine woman in his arms. And yet the voice of vengeance ringed in his ears. He had already buried two wives, and if he stayed, he would bury a third, for his life had been accursed by the cruelty and by the greed of the Campbells.
If he did not return and honor his bargain, Charles Bonnie would betray him to the Campbells and they would set out to find him, to slaughter him and all foolish enough to be in his cursed company.
Nay, to stay with this woman, tis but a dream, full of folly and of death, he would keep his word to Bonnie and return to Okracoke.
When the dawn arrived the vastness of the Sound had given way to the narrow confines of the river, with Bath Town in the distance. The wind that had before filled the sails of the Glencoe died off as she barely kept enough speed to fight the currents of the river. The progress up river came to a stand still as Bath Town remained far off in the distance.
The warm Carolina sun beat down upon the three homeless souls, stealing what little strength they had, for in their haste to leave they had forgotten both food and water.
The wind evaded the sails of the Glencoe, until the late afternoon when a strong southern wind began to blow, and with it came a frightful thunderstorm. From the dry heat of the day to the cold wet rains of the evening. But with the winds of the storm, the sails of the Glencoe were again full and the boat made fast work of the miles to Bath Town.
In the midst of the wind and the rain the Glencoe finally came along side the docks of Bath Town.
"Gather you belongs and follow me." Jack commanded.
The three made their way off the docks and down the single lane that was Bath Town to the last house on the left, the house of Jack's old Captain, James Murray. Jack banged on the door and waited. It was not long before James Murray opened the door.
"Jack, you changed your mind!"
"Let us in, quickly."
Jack, Andrew and Angelica entered the house of James Murray, who gave a look out the door to see if anyone was about before closing the door.
"Jack, who do we have here?"
"Your new apprentice, Andrew, and his mother Angelica, your new business partner."
"What?"
"I will explain later, but for now we need food, and we need rest."
James Murray went straight to work preparing a meal and his spare room. After all had eaten he showed Andrew to the spare bedroom. Andrew collapsed into the warm bed and fell fast asleep.
James Murray returned to his table with a bottle of whisky, real whisky, and not the "corn" that the Colonist called whisky. Having poured the three glasses, James Murray spoke.
"So, Jack, its always good to see ya, but what need have I for a new apprentice, let alone a business partner. What have you gotten yourself into in these few weeks since our last parting?"
Jack began to explain some, but only some of his doings, since they had departed. He told of the war with Spain and France. He spoke of the press gang that had come to Frisco, but not of Charles Bonnie. He spoke of the ships of the Campbells in the harbor of Okracoke but not of his deeds aboard the Skye.
When James Murray heard of the war with Spain and France, his eyes lit up, for war meant a need for naval supplies, for tar, for pitch, for planks of oak and for masts of Carolina pine. The English would have a need for all that he had and he would make them pay dearly for it. The more Jack spoke the more whisky flowed from the bottle.
"I can see I will have a need for an apprentice, but who is my new business partner?"
Jack smiled and walked over to the sea chest he had taken from the Skye. He opened the chest and pulled out two large and heavy bags full of silver coin and dropped them on Mr. Murray's table.
"I am your new business partner, and Angie here is my representative. You shall watch over her and Andrew as if they were me ain. That is if we have an arrangement."
Mr. Murray face beamed with delight.
"Aye Jack we are agreed."
And the three of them toasted one last drink. Mr. Murray offered Angelica his room, which she declined saying that she and Jack needed to discuss certain details alone. Mr. Murray took his leave and went to bed. Jack and Angelica spoke but briefly before laying down on the floor by the fire. Again, Angelica McPherson lay down by Jack's side with her head upon his shoulder and her arms about his waist.
Once again, Jack's mind wandered, full of the possibilities of a happy life and yet knowing that by staying he would bring nothing but death and destruction. For his life had been accursed, he had buried two wives and there would not be a third.
Come the morning light, before any had arisen from their slumber, Jack gently kissed Angelica's forehead and slipped away.
By midday, the Glencoe was once again in the open waters of the Sound headed west to Okracoke Island, to the Sparrow and to Charles Bonnie, the pirate.
In the evening, as the sun set in the west and darkness lay before him, Jack spied the Isle of Okracoke. On the north side of the island where the village of Frisco once stood, smoke could be seen rising and the orange glow of fire broke the dark sky.
The press gang had returned and the men of Frisco, those that remained alive, were surely about to go to Sea in the service of the Campbell.
Jack stayed the course, he had to trust that Charles Bonnie had not betrayed him. He had to trust that soon he and his old pirate Captain would kill the Campbells and make the Sparrow and the Fortune their own.
For it is not a sin to steal from those who steal, and it is not a sin to kill those who murder.
And to be sure, this day, the Campbells had killed and stolen, the lives, the freedom and the peace of the good folk of the village of Frisco.