Son of Fury Page #3

near St. James's Gate?

- Aye.

There's an old man works there,

by name Amos Kidder.

He wears silver-rimmed

spectacles...

and he's likely to have stubble

on his chin and kind eyes.

You best watch out

for the king's men who'll be about.

Tell the old man that I love him,

that I'll see him when I come back from the Indies.

Aye.

I'll go now.

I'll lock the door.

Stay quiet

till I come back.

Shh.

It's nearly time, and you've

a clear road to the dock.

Did you see my grandfather?

They've taken him to jail.

- Then I stay in England.

- No. No, you mustn't. He said so.

- You saw him in the jail?

- They know me there.

He said

l I have it by memory

"Tell Ben he can serve me best

by going to the Indies...

"and coming back

with his fortune.

"Gold will unlock

every door.

"He can't get me out

if he stays...

and they'll hang him sure

for what he did."

That's what he said.

- Where's the Tropic Star?

- Off the old sugar docks...

barely a stone's throw

from here.

And the tide's

within the hour.

What's your real name,

Your Honor?

Don't call me that.

My name is Ben.

Nothing more.

What's yours?

Isabel.

- Why do you look so?

- Nothing.

I know it's too fine a name

for a girl like me...

but my mother gave it to me

meaning no harm.

No name could be

too fine for you.

Oh, do you mean that, sir?

You think it means nothing to me

that you likely saved my life?

- And no reason?

- Oh, yes. I had a reason.

- What?

- You won't laugh at me?

I could never

laugh at you, Isabel.

Because you're a gentleman

the first that ever

came to my door.

Maggie Martin, now,

at the corner

she knew a clerk

of the king's court once...

and she's talked of it

ever since.

She's got a silver ring

and a carpet...

and a drinking mug

with roses painted on it...

fit for a queen.

But she never

knew a gentleman.

Oh, it's time

you were going now, sir.

Please, sir, could I walk with you

to the corner maybe?

I'd like Maggie Martin

to see us together.

Then she'd know

you'd been here.

Who were he?

The Duke of Roehampton.

Stowaway, sir.

Just found him in the hold.

- Can you use an extra hand, Mr. Grimes?

- Aye. That I can, sir.

- Have you ever been to sea?

- No.

You'll learn.

Your first lesson is that

you'll always call me sir.

Set your gallants and royals,

Mr. Grimes.

Aye, aye, sir. Gallants and royals!

Look alive!

You, Caleb Green, lay aft and sit up

on the weather vane.

Aye, aye, sir.

- What's your course?

- Nor-norwest.

Mm-hmm.

You're a full point

off your course.

Keep awake!

Why did you deflect

the compass last night?

What are you

talking about?

You know what I mean. You changed it,

and I took one from the mate for it.

- I wanna know why you did it.

- Aye. You've a right to know.

You see this?

I noticed it before.

"D." "D" for debtor.

Fifteen years

in the swamps of Guyana.

Fifteen years in the hot irons

because I owed 10.

My crime was

having no money.

Mine was having no name.

I wanna know why

you changed the course.

If you look at the charts, you'll see

there are islands to the southwest of here.

- Yes?

- There's a fortune to be made in those islands.

I heard the tale from Spanish sailors

that touched there long ago.

Oyster pearis bright as the moon

and big as your fist.

A fortune for the man

that dares try for it.

Why do you think I shipped in this stinking tub?

I've been waiting three years.

Begged and starved in the gutters of Bristol

for a berth like this one

a ship that would

sail these waters.

If there's a fortune to be

picked up so readily...

why haven't

the Spanishers come back?

They made a bloody record

when they were there.

The islanders were peaceful enough at first,

but they finally arose to drive them out.

There was a massacre, and only

a few of the Spanishers escaped.

- Have the islanders forgotten?

- Aye. I doubt it.

You mean to chance it alone?

Aye, I'll chance it...

to wipe this clean forever.

- You're going to desert

when we get to the island, huh?

- Aye.

And if you breathe

a word of this to a soul, I'll kill you.

You aloft.! Stow your gab

and get on with your work.!

You heard me?

Aye, I heard.

And don't concern yourself.

I'll say nothing

for a very good reason.

I'm going with you.

Land ho!

- Where away?

- Two points off the starboard bow.!

Land? Here?

There ain't

any on the chart...

unless we're 50 knots

west of our course.

There's strong currents hereabouts.

Or perhaps it's a magnetic variation.

Stove in me ribs. I've got more dirt

than that under me toenails.

Nay, there's

a big island beyond.

- 'Tis a cloud.

- No, look!

'Tis inhabited.

I can see the marks of cooking fires.

- We'll not take water there, Mr. Grimes.

- Belike they're peaceful, sir?

Nay, I've been warned

of the islanders hereabouts.

Bloodthirsty cannibals,

every one.

But we'll seek an anchorage

and lie to for the night.

- Up a point, Mr. Grimes,

and put a man in the chains.

- Aye, aye, sir. Up a point!

Look! She's leaving.

Aye.

We've burned our bridges.

Europa.!

- The Spanishers.

- Aye. We're in for it.

Wait!

Give me your pistol.

Ah!

Not as big as your fist

or as bright as the moon...

Not as big as your fist

or as bright as the moon...

but she'll do

for a start.

Well, hello.

Where did you come from?

What's your name?

I'm diving for oysters.

Maybe you can tell me

which ones have pearis in them.

I think I'll call you Eve.

I don't believe

she's ever heard of Eve.

Well, perhaps

you'll present me.

On my island

those are valuable.

People who have them

can buy much breadfruit...

pawpaw, poi.

She thinks I mean we eat them.

I'd best teach you English

so you'll understand.

- It's growing late, lad.

- The pearis will still be there tomorrow.

So will the girl.

I'll try the deeper bed.

Hey!

Human mermaid.

This time you won't

get away so easily.

- Where are you going?

- You expect me to stay?

- You should have told me, lad.

- I didn't ask her.

You looked at her.

In these islands 'tis the same thing as asking.

I'll tell her she must go.

- That would be foolish, Ben.

- Why?

The old chief told me ours was the first ship

to touch here since the Spanishers left.

That was seven years ago.

Might be 20 before another passed.

You mean we

we might be here for life?

Aye. We might.

Eve

How can I explain to you?

No bride was ever

more beautiful.

L- O-V-E.

Love.

- Love.

- Yes.

M- E.

Me.

- Me?

- No, no. No. Me.

Oh. Me.

Yes, that's right.

Y- O-U.

You.

- Oh. You.

- Yes.

Me. You.

- Me. You.

- Yes.

Man. Woman.

That's right.

- Sea.

- Yes.

- Earth.

- No, no. No.

Sea. Sky. Earth.

Me, uh

Uh, stupid.

- Stupid?

- Yes.

Oh, me... stupid.

Caleb.!

Caleb, it's a ship.!

It's come! You were wrong,

you old porpoise!

A derelict.

- He want go away?

- Aye.

Why?

- Why?

- He's sad when he thinks of his homeland.

No, no. There is vahini

a woman.

It's hard to explain.

Someday he'll tell you

all about it.

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