Chapter 12
Things were happening too fast for Gareth to fully comprehend what was happening. First Crow attacking the Captain and then Croaker getting shot. His foggy mind was screaming at him but he realized his friend was being attacked. As Crow rose to attack the Captain, Gareth launched himself at Crow. This would give the Captain time to get back safely to his own ship and crew.
Crow had been prepared for almost anything but this. The young man looked like a very dirty version of Gareth. His strength was laughable but if he was Gareth and Crow hurt him, Tobias would skin him alive and use him for shark bait. Crow had no choice but to watch as the pirate captain, his quarry, jumped off the ship’s railing and started swimming for the island, along with at least ten other sailors.
After seeing the captain jump overboard, Gareth simply collapsed. That didn’t make it any easier on Crow, he didn’t know why Gareth was helping the pirates. From the looks of him, he should have been happy to be rescued.
Crow felt hands on him from behind and with a sickening feeling realized he had been too concerned about Gareth and forgotten the other pirates. Hampered as he was by Gareth, Crow could only manage a half twist of his torso to use his knife.
He needn’t have bothered. He had barely started his turn when his arm was blocked and he heard Sarah say, “Time to be going, she’s sinking fast.”
“What about the other pirates?”
“They followed their captain into to water. I think dad may have killed one other but the rest had no fight. There a reason you’re hanging onto that boy or are you wounded? If you’re not wounded either dump him or carry him, we’re leaving now”
Crow was having difficulty not telling her that the boy was older than she was and who put her in charge, only retorted, “I’m good, we’re taking him with us,” and hoisted Gareth across his shoulder.
Once they were in the boat, Captain Clark asked if they would pause long enough for him to see the Catherine go down. There being no rush to get back and several reasons to let the pirates get ashore first, Crow, Sarah and her father all agreed to wait.
It took almost an hour for the Catherine to sink. First she rolled over onto her side and then amazingly the masts went back upright, just before the nose went down. Then, as if riding a fast wave, the rest of the Catherine followed the prow downward.
Crow almost said something but the look on Captain Clark’s face was that of a man trying very hard not to cry. Gareth was still out but even in his sleep his arms continued to move in a very rhythmatic pattern.
This was looking bad, Crow thought. He had not gotten a good look at the Captain. The man might be royalty but unless he looked like the king it was still going to be difficult picking him out from all the other sailors. Gareth wasn’t going to be any help. What was wrong with that boy anyway? Maybe he could try bribing the pirates to turn on their leader. Certainly many of them would be happy to turn on him but the rest were smart enough to take the bribe anyway and identify another crew member.
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