Yankee Buccaneer Page #4

lt does not matter,

and l pay gold.

A beautiful woman from

nowhere ready to pay gold

for passage to anywhere?

lt doesn't make sense.

Do l or do l not

get passage?

No, you don't.

My ship is a privateer.

We can't...

l was afraid such an

emergency might arise.

Shall we go?

l have little choice,

but as for my captain,

that pistol will do no good.

His stomach is

made of steel.

How long we

gonna wait, Mr. Link?

We've waited long enough.

l got that feeling.

l'm going after him.

lf we ain't back by dusk,

you go back to the ship.

But, Mr. Link...

Do as l say.

lt's Mr.

Farragut.

Yeah.

But what with?

Davey-lad, we were

just going after you.

Who are all

these characters?

These characters carry the

wardrobe of our passenger.

Passenger? You know we

can't take a passenger.

And just in case

you're not convinced...

Yes, l guess we can

take a passenger.

Beckett, have those lndians stow

the gear, and we'll move out.

This way.

Davey-lad, what's the

skipper gonna say about her?

l shudder to think, Mr.

Link. l shudder to think.

Captain Porter, sir?

Yes?

Long boat approaching.

All hands onboard?

Hard to tell, sir.

Mr. Redell?

Yes, Captain?

ls that a woman?

ls who a woman, sir?

The woman in the

boat with Mr. Farragut.

That ain't no woman, sir.

That's Mr. Link.

Since when does a chief

wear skirts and blouses?

Give Mr. Farragut my compliments.

Ask him to join me with his companion.

Aye, aye, sir.

Compliments of

the Captain, sir.

He requests that...

l know, Mr. Redell.

lf you'll

follow me, please.

Captain Porter,

this is...

Yes, Mr. Farragut?

l am the Countess Margarita

La Reguna, and l wish passage.

This ship carries

no passengers.

That's what l told her, sir,

but she can convince you.

lndeed. How can

she convince me?

With that pistol she carries

in her traveling bag, sir.

l'll relieve you

of your sidearms.

There's no pistol here.

But...

Believe me... Would you

wait in my cabin, please?

Mr. Redell will

show you the way.

This way, Miss.

Mr. Farragut, at what

now seems an eternity,

you brought orders for this command

to seek out the pirate fleet.

Since then, you have

smashed my ship in a storm,

risked lives

against my orders,

and now, at the point of

a gun which l cannot find,

you've brought a female

passenger onboard,

but no pirates, Mr. Farragut.

We've been so busy

covering your mistakes,

there's been no

time for pirates.

l doubt if Captain Kidd himself

could have scuttled this missin

more successfully

than you have.

Now, what about

this woman?

lt's as l said, sir.

She paid some lndians

to bushwhack me,

then forced me to

bring her aboard.

What does she

know about this ship?

Nothing, sir.

Very well. Follow me.

We'll put her ashore.

Put her back in

place, Beckett-lad.

And no officer's

the wiser.

Yeah, but if

the Captain...

The Captain's got

his head full now.

A lovely lady is all the

wine an officer needs.

Countess, there's no sense wasting time.

l've given orders to put you ashore.

But l will pay well.

l have gold.

The lndians didn't

take it from you?

The lndians

were my friends.

They protected me

when l left Foxardo.

Foxardo?

We've drifted into the heart

of the Spanish territory.

Suppose you tell me the truth.

There was no gun, was there?

No gun, sir. l brought her

aboard because she needed help.

You realize this is a further

admissin of your guilt, Mr. Farragut.

Yes, sir.

All l want is the truth.

Now, Countess,

what is the truth?

That l am Portuguese,

but for many years, l've lived in

Brazil, so now l feel that Rio is my home.

You're a long

way from home.

Too long.

But when Napoleon

overran Europe,

the royal family and many of the

nobility, my family among them,

fled to Brazil, taking with

them their priceless belongings.

Now, with all

the danger passed,

the King has returned

to his throne in Portugal.

Well, isn't that

where he belongs?

lf he so chooses,

but many of us

do not feel the same.

Like you Americans,

we prefer the New Worid

with its freedoms and its

opportunities for all,

and we'll fight for this

independence of thought and action.

But l don't see

quite how all this...

The King demands

a return to Portugal,

not only of ourselves but

of all our woridly goods.

Which you refused?

lf a young country is to survive,

it must have trade alliances.

All our gold and valued possessions

are collected for that purpose.

Just where do you fit into

all this political maneuvering?

My father and l were

returning from England,

where the trade

alliances were made.

ln payment, our ships sail

from Rio in three months

with all our

fortunes on them,

unless l stop them.

Why do that?

My father carried sailing

instructions for our fleet.

ln Havana, we were attacked

by Portuguese agents.

l managed to escape,

but my father was killed,

and his papers were stolen.

With these plans known, our

ships are sure to be attacked,

and they must be warned.

Suppose all this is true, you must

realize that we are privateers.

We do not head toward Rio.

But at least you

sail the seas,

and there is chance of transfer

to a vessel bound towards home,

but on land, l have

no chance at all.

Come in.

Excuse me, sir.

The lady's baggage.

Bring it aboard,

and prepare to sail.

Aye, aye, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

l must warn you,

this is a privateer, and

you must assume all risks.

You're aboard as a political refugee

asking passage. l take no sides.

l understand.

Very well, you may

use this cabin.

l'll double

up with Mr. Farragut.

lf you'll excuse me,

l'll get underway.

What did you do

with that pistol?

lt served its purpose.

l slipped it into the water.

Besides, it was

bare of ammunition.

Very well done,

Your Highness.

You lied for me.

lt was appreciated.

Lovely lady, please pray that

l grow to be a very old man.

Why, l will,

but why?

Because only a man past 90

will smell salt air again

after the Captain

finishes with me.

Set course a big circle,

and close the gaps.

lf there are any pirate ships

in these waters, we'll find them.

Aye, aye, sir.

When the spinner goes over the rail, the

number of knots on the line to run out

during a 28-second interval is equal

to the speed of the ship through water.

After a few more lessons, Captain,

l'll be ready for my master's paper.

When you sign on your crew, l hope

you'll think of me as first mate, perhaps.

l think not.

Somehow l can't imagine you

as anything but a captain.

l'm not sure

that's a compliment.

Well, of course it is.

There's something most

impressive about a man

whose only thoughts are of his

duties and responsibilities.

Perhaps before too long l'll be less

bound by duty and responsibility.

Time for your afternoon

stroll, Countess.

l hope l haven't

kept you waiting.

Oh, no, l've been

well occupied.

Would the Captain

care to join us?

Why, yes.

Yes, of course.

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