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dwgm550 words of the story, theme: "Challenge". Many thanks to my dear ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.
Previous bits...
And here's today's...
27. Challenge
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
While Joe sailed back across the bay in the Jolly Mon with a message for Nell to be ready to board that evening, Jack spent the early part of the morning chivying the crew into sobriety sufficient to facilitate the swift provisioning of the ship. To be fair, the majority of them had heard about Jack’s plans, thanks to Bootstrap’s efforts the evening before, and were either sober or only a trifle fuddled when they reported for muster at the beginning of the morning watch. But there were a considerable number that either didn’t show at all, or were much the worse for drink, having taken carpe noctem as their motto since the Pearl would soon be putting to sea once more, cutting short their leave.
By noon, however, all but a few Pearls were hard at work, acquiring stores, ferrying the crates and barrels out to the ship, helping to stow said crates and barrels, or otherwise preparing Jack’s best girl to set sail. He’d assigned a third of the crew to refitting and primping, and by mid-afternoon the ship was much tidier and nearly ready for departure.
“Everyone’ll be aboard by dusk, Captain,” Bootstrap assured him. “Barbossa’s on shore rounding up the last of ‘em.”
“Is he?” said Jack. “I appreciate his efforts. And yours, Bill, you’ve done well this day. Some sort of record, ain’t it?”
Bill looked pleased. “There’s more’n just me that’s been longing for a visit home, Jack. I think you’ll find most of the lads are with you on this.”
“So I’d gathered, but it’s good to have it confirmed.” Jack glanced at the westering sun. “I’ll go ashore, since everything’s in hand. I’ve some business in town, and then I’ll fetch our new cabin boy.”
“You don’t think the lads’ll see through the disguise?” Bootstrap said, doubtfully.
“Maybe,” Jack admitted. “If she’s smoked I’ll deal with it. But for now, remember: mum’s the word.”
But at sunset Jack returned to the little fishing village and the prospective cabin boy burst from Joe’s house and ran down the steps to greet him.
“Parry Smith, at your service, Captain,” Nell said with a creditable bow, then burst into excited speech. “I thought you’d never get here, but M’sieur Pêcheur assured me you were a man of your word, and Anamaria said you’d never leave without saying goodbye -- she’s doing better now, the pain was considerable until the doctor came to give her more physick. And while she was napping, Constanze and I went into town to fetch my money, so I’m not penniless!”
Jack had been studying her with a critical eye during this recitation, and liked what he saw: a young gentleman in immaculate clothing, all stains removed, all rents neatly sewn, with shining hair tightly braided, clubbed and tied with a ribbon. The face was pretty, but not much prettier than he’d been himself as a lad – disagreeable, but not an insurmountable difficulty.
She might do, he thought, and when she finally paused for breath he broke in, voicing his approval. “Excellent news, Master Smith. And provided we can discourage you from rattling on nineteen to the dozen like some girl, this disguise of yours might very well succeed.”
She blushed like fury.
Jack laughed, and chucked her under the chin.
TBC...
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.Previous bits...
| 1. Tortuga 2. Happiness 3. Festive 4. Last Minute 5. Calm 6. Truth 7. Bargain 8. Spook 9. Down 10. Wounds 11. Moon 12. Monsters | 13. Beauty 14. Name 15. History 16. Service 17. Advice 18. Captain 19. Awe 20. Cross 21. "You've made a big mistake" 22. Heroism 23. Gold 24. Echo | 25. Greed 26. Advance |
And here's today's...
27. Challenge
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
While Joe sailed back across the bay in the Jolly Mon with a message for Nell to be ready to board that evening, Jack spent the early part of the morning chivying the crew into sobriety sufficient to facilitate the swift provisioning of the ship. To be fair, the majority of them had heard about Jack’s plans, thanks to Bootstrap’s efforts the evening before, and were either sober or only a trifle fuddled when they reported for muster at the beginning of the morning watch. But there were a considerable number that either didn’t show at all, or were much the worse for drink, having taken carpe noctem as their motto since the Pearl would soon be putting to sea once more, cutting short their leave.
By noon, however, all but a few Pearls were hard at work, acquiring stores, ferrying the crates and barrels out to the ship, helping to stow said crates and barrels, or otherwise preparing Jack’s best girl to set sail. He’d assigned a third of the crew to refitting and primping, and by mid-afternoon the ship was much tidier and nearly ready for departure.
“Everyone’ll be aboard by dusk, Captain,” Bootstrap assured him. “Barbossa’s on shore rounding up the last of ‘em.”
“Is he?” said Jack. “I appreciate his efforts. And yours, Bill, you’ve done well this day. Some sort of record, ain’t it?”
Bill looked pleased. “There’s more’n just me that’s been longing for a visit home, Jack. I think you’ll find most of the lads are with you on this.”
“So I’d gathered, but it’s good to have it confirmed.” Jack glanced at the westering sun. “I’ll go ashore, since everything’s in hand. I’ve some business in town, and then I’ll fetch our new cabin boy.”
“You don’t think the lads’ll see through the disguise?” Bootstrap said, doubtfully.
“Maybe,” Jack admitted. “If she’s smoked I’ll deal with it. But for now, remember: mum’s the word.”
But at sunset Jack returned to the little fishing village and the prospective cabin boy burst from Joe’s house and ran down the steps to greet him.
“Parry Smith, at your service, Captain,” Nell said with a creditable bow, then burst into excited speech. “I thought you’d never get here, but M’sieur Pêcheur assured me you were a man of your word, and Anamaria said you’d never leave without saying goodbye -- she’s doing better now, the pain was considerable until the doctor came to give her more physick. And while she was napping, Constanze and I went into town to fetch my money, so I’m not penniless!”
Jack had been studying her with a critical eye during this recitation, and liked what he saw: a young gentleman in immaculate clothing, all stains removed, all rents neatly sewn, with shining hair tightly braided, clubbed and tied with a ribbon. The face was pretty, but not much prettier than he’d been himself as a lad – disagreeable, but not an insurmountable difficulty.
She might do, he thought, and when she finally paused for breath he broke in, voicing his approval. “Excellent news, Master Smith. And provided we can discourage you from rattling on nineteen to the dozen like some girl, this disguise of yours might very well succeed.”
She blushed like fury.
Jack laughed, and chucked her under the chin.
TBC...