Chapter Nine

We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up me 'earties, Yo Ho!

"They're making someone walk the plank," Elizabeth said, peering through the spyglass. "I can't make out who."

"That'll be Jack," said AnaMaria with a sigh. "He was bound to piss them off."

"The Navy don't use a plank," said Gibbs, frowning.

"All the more reason why it's Jack," AnaMaria said. "We better go to the rescue."

"Loose the gallants!" she called, and threw her slight weight into turning the Black Pearl's wheel. To Elizabeth she said, "Keep him in your sights."

There was little else she needed to order; the Black Pearl had been sailing as fast as its crew could coax her for a day and a half, and was already in the best sailing trim they could manage.

Beside Elizabeth, Gibbs did not sound happy. "We're sailing into the teeth of the 'Pirate-Killer,'" he grumbled. "This can't be a good idea." He hopped down into the waist and bellowed, "Make ready the guns!"

Watching carefully, Elizabeth saw the ship turn to the southeast, away from the Black Pearl. "Either they haven't seen us, or they're running from us," she reported.

"What about the man in the water?"

Elizabeth moved the field of the spyglass back and forth over the waves. "I don't see him!" she cried. "He didn't surface!"

AnaMaria swore and hopped at the helm as if the ship were a horse she could coax into more speed.

Cotton's parrot swooped in from wherever it had been wandering, and landed on Cotton's shoulder. "Man overboard!" it squawked. "Man overboard!"

"That's the first sensible thing that parrot's ever said," AnaMaria said. "Do you see him, yet?!"

"Yes, yes! He's up! He's swimming." Elizabeth didn't hear whatever cheers her report elicited, for she was suddenly riveted by a very strange sight. "You aren't going to believe this . . . " she said.

"What?"

Elizabeth didn't respond at first, trying to sort out what she was seeing.

"What?!" AnaMaria demanded. "Take the glass from her if she can't make a proper report!"

"Just a moment!" Elizabeth answered. "Someone inside the hull is knocking a hole in it."

"What? That's crazy!"

Half the crew clambered to the port side of the ship, trying to see what she saw.

"Crazy like Jack," Gibbs cried. "It must be him. I wonder who the man in the water is?"

Startled, Elizabeth glanced at him before returning to the spyglass. She saw the hole in the hull widen, and movement inside. A flash of red at the hole was reminiscent of Sparrow's headscarf. "I think you're right," she said in amazement. So who . . . ?

"Oh Dear God, it's Will!" She almost dropped the spyglass. "Will's in the water!" For a moment Elizabeth's shock took her senses, and she ran toward the bow as if she could do something there. "Faster!" she screamed at AnaMaria, who glared back at her.

Then she recovered her equilibrium and looked through the spyglass again. They were overtaking the other ship, somewhat, and she could make out more. A man, definitely Sparrow, dove gracefully out of the hole in the hull. Moving the spyglass back and forth between the two men, Elizabeth saw them start to swim toward each other.

"Jack . . . Jack's in the water, too. They're together," she reported, breathlessly.

"Sail ho!" called a crewman from the rigging.

"What now?" complained AnaMaria.

The crewman pointed toward the Tarantula. "Beyond the ship!" he yelled.

Elizabeth brought up the spyglass and scanned the horizon. "I can't see it!" she cried.

"It don't matter," Gibbs said, joining her at the rail. "They're farther out. We'll get our men and get away."

Soon everyone with good vision could make out the two men in the water. AnaMaria ordered the topsails and the gallants furled, to slow the ship as they approached the swimmers. Elizabeth insisted they lower a boat, rather than hoist them up with a line. The waves were choppy and she feared they might be tired or hurt. She started to get in the boat, herself, but AnaMaria stopped her.

"Stay out of the way. They know what they're doing."

Elizabeth bristled at the suggestion that she would be in the way, but she bit her lip and obeyed.

Gibbs and another man rowed out and hauled the two swimmers into the boat. Both men were shivering, but appeared unharmed and were able to climb the rope ladder into the ship.

Sparrow emerged over the rail first, his eyes sparkling above his grin. He looked fondly at his relieved crew, and then spotted Elizabeth and started.

"Elizabeth?!" he cried. His expression of astonishment was gratifying, but it wasn't Sparrow she waited to see.

"What? Elizabeth?" came the much-loved voice of her husband, and a sudden lump was in her throat. Will came over the side, and Elizabeth couldn't remember a more welcome sight to her in her life. She flew into his arms and kissed him long and hard. Behind her she was vaguely aware that Sparrow was receiving some kind of back-slapping welcome from his crew, but it was of no interest to her.

Until Sparrow's voice came from behind her. "Ahem. Enough of that, there's work to be done."

Will pulled a bit from her embrace, but did not look at Sparrow. "What are you doing here?" he asked in wonderment.

She smiled hugely at him. "Pulling you from the water, again."

"That's what I'd like to know, Missy," Sparrow insisted. "What are you doing on my ship?"

Elizabeth laid her head on Will's shoulder and looked at a wet and indignant Sparrow.

"She found us, Captain," said Gibbs, looking at the deck like an embarrassed schoolboy.

"How?" asked Sparrow brightly, aiming the question at her.

"You were changing the gold into Spanish money, Jack," she said. "There's only one port in the western waters large enough to make repairs on a ship and that takes Spanish money and is known to be friendly to pirates. And it's in western Cuba, so all I had to do was follow the coast."

Sparrow's amazement was wonderful to behold. Elizabeth knew she would treasure this moment all her life.

"She brought your supplies and gold for lumber, Cap'n," said Gibbs.

"Gold? You had . . . more gold?" Now Sparrow looked almost ill.

"I had a brooch. It was enough to buy linen and lumber, but we had to bring the lumber along. There wasn't time to make the repairs."

"You’re a sorceress," said Sparrow.

Elizabeth thought of the frightening journey she had made, at night, alone, trying to stay ahead of a full scale gale. The storm clouds had hidden the moon and stars and she could have run aground on shallows or unseen rocks countless times. "You owe me, again," she said.

"Aye," Sparrow acknowledged gravely. "And I'll repay one debt right now." His dark-rimmed gaze slid from her to her husband, with an expression not entirely friendly. Elizabeth felt Will stiffen. "I was going to ask AnaMaria to slug your husband for me, but I'll pass it up."

Elizabeth looked at Will and saw him blush deep red. AnaMaria looked interested.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Will said, sincerely.

Sparrow smiled tightly, and turned to regard the Tarantula. The new ship was visible now, a Navy warship, close to the Tarantula. It flew a British flag.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, in low tones.

"I'll tell you later," Will replied. "What were you doing with Jack in a Spanish port?"

"I'll tell you later," she replied.

All discussion was interrupted by the distant sound of cannon fire.

"Captain," called a man from the rigging, "the Navy ships are firing at each other!"

Sparrow leaped to the bow, grinning like a man who sees his plans work out. "Both of them?" he called.

"Eh?" the man asked.

"Is the Deadly Earnest returning fire?"

The other ship was the Deadly Earnest? Elizabeth looked at Will. "That's your ship?"

Will shrugged, and gave her a lopsided grin. "I can't really say. It's the Commodore's ship, though."

"No, Captain," the man reported. "Their guns weren't ready. They're taking heavy damage close in."

"Well, time to come to the rescue then." Sparrow seemed terribly pleased. "Can't have the Commodore sent to Davy Jones before he clears our name. Loose the gallants and the topsails! Ready the port guns! Where's my spyglass?"

Elizabeth rushed forward to give it to him, gripping Will's hand tightly in her other hand.

Sparrow lifted the glass and laughed with pleasure. "He's flying my Jolly Roger! Stanley! That's my man!"

"Captain!" Gibbs said, "They'll just join forces against us."

"The Commodore's not that stupid. And if he is, we'll show him that we have Mrs. Turner hostage." Sparrow lightened the threat with a wink at her.

Will's hand tightened protectively, but Elizabeth squeezed his hand back to tell him not to worry about her.

"Jack, haven't you heard?" she asked, "I'm not valuable to him anymore. I'm married, and besides, he's courting a knight's daughter."

Sparrow shook his head in mock dismay. "I really must read the Society Papers more, love." He placed his fists on his waist and glowered at the nearing battle. "I swear they haven't even seen us! How rude! Fire number three gun!"

Gibbs repeated the order, and a cannon thundered from belowdeck. The ball flew harmlessly across the Tarantula's wake. The ship was still out of range.

"Wasn't he supposed to pine for you forever?" Sparrow asked, still looking at the Navy ships.

Infected by Sparrow's insouciance, Elizabeth laughed. "He's moved on," she said. She looked at Will. "And so have I."

"Two points to starboard!" Sparrow yelled to AnaMaria, who was still at the helm.

"Jack! Have we got any hand-to-hand weapons?" Will asked.

Sparrow smiled. "Don't worry, Mate. Now Stanley's seen us, he'll run. He has a fast ship, and the Deadly Earnest can't follow. Look how she's listing."

Elizabeth and the whole crew watched tensely as the Black Pearl sailed into fighting position. Sparrow called occasional course corrections to AnaMaria, and adjustments to the sails to Gibbs.

"She's unfurling!" someone called.

The Tarantula's sails flowed gracefully into place, and her crew made them fast. The ship leaped before a strong northerly wind, narrowly missing the Deadly Earnest's bow as they sped free of the engagement. Musketmen from both ships exchanged fire as she passed.

"Reef the topsails and the gallants!" called Sparrow. "Run up a white flag!"

Elizabeth ran to the rail in the bow, the better to see and to be seen, Will right behind her. Regardless of what she had told Jack, she thought the besieged soldiers of the Deadly Earnest might pause before shooting if they saw a woman on deck. The wind blew her hair and dress like a flag, and for a moment she saw herself as the Black Pearl's figurehead.

"Furl the mainsails and heave to!" Sparrow ordered.

"What about the guns?" asked Gibbs.

Elizabeth looked back at the men. Sparrow and Gibbs seemed to be both in thought, looking at each other. A lot depended on whether the Commodore believed them to be rescuers, or scavengers attacking a crippled prey. Deadly Earnest's guns were ready, now.

"Keep them manned, but close the gun ports," was Sparrow's order. "Elizabeth!" Sparrow turned to her. "You and Will stay there, love."

The two of them nodded, and Will waved one arm back and forth at the other ship.

Gibbs did not look happy with his orders, but it was no time for a debate, and he went to the gun deck to deliver them.

The Black Pearl slowed to drifting, well out of boarding range of the other ship, but not out of cannon range. Activity on the Deadly Earnest was intense around midships, where cannonballs had blasted through the deck and hull. The foremast was damaged, and two of its yardarms hung down, making the mast look like a skeleton swinging its arms loose at the elbows. Flames flickered from the area of the forecastle.

The entire broadside of guns poked out of the hull, ready.

Will continued his slow wave.

The Deadly Earnest's foremost cannon fired a booming shot across the Pearl's bow.

Will dropped his arm and Elizabeth grabbed it, reflexively. They both looked back at Sparrow. The entire crew stiffened.

"Hold steady!" cried Sparrow. "It was a warning shot."

Gibbs appeared back on deck, his face pale. He brought Sparrow a calling cone.

"Ahoy the ship!" Sparrow called through it.

A blue-uniformed figure separated from the other men on the Deadly Earnest. Behind him, sailors fought the fire in the forecastle.

"State your purpose!" called the Commodore.

"Need any help, Mate?" asked Sparrow. "We can lend you lumber for repairs."

Elizabeth saw AnaMaria slap her forehead. "Sell!" she complained. "*Sell* the lumber!"

There was a pause as the Commodore consulted with others. The sailors appeared to get the fire under control, but Elizabeth could see the damage to the forecastle.

"Captain Sparrow," called the Commodore, formally, "permission to come aboard?"

Elizabeth expected an immediate affirmative, but, to her surprise, Sparrow looked at Gibbs. "Joshamee?" he asked in a voice so low, only Will and Elizabeth were near enough to overhear. "I could go to him."

"No, Jack," Gibbs replied immediately, also in private tones. "Don't trust 'em. If he has to come aboard, he has to."

Elizabeth looked at Will, to see if he understood why Sparrow asked Gibbs's permission to allow the Commodore on board, but Will looked as puzzled as she was.

Sparrow nodded. "Come ahead," he called back, "with no more than two men, and all unarmed!"

"Captain," said one of the men. "Let's put the bag on him! He'd bring a rich ransom."

"You can't do that!" Elizabeth cried. "You're under a flag of truce."

"He fired on us!" the man complained.

"Only a warning shot," she replied. "Jack, if he'd intended to damage you, he could have! You can't kidnap him."

"I can do whatever I like, Missy; I am a pirate," Sparrow said with a grin. "But, calm yourself." He spoke more loudly. "The Commodore's more valuable to us a free man. He can order the fleet to hunt Stanley instead of us."

By now the Commodore and two men were in a boat crossing the water to the Black Pearl. Elizabeth reached to hold Will's hand, as it occurred to her that he could misinterpret her defense of Norrington.

"He's very brave to come over here, alone and unarmed," Will told her, approvingly.