⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵...(Tour of "High Island")...Continued...
[Last time...]
If ever there were such a thing as an eagled-eyed man, the captain would fit the bill. His piercing green eyes quickly detected the familiar, odd body language of the trader, and with one eyebrow raised, he whispered to himself...
"Black Bart!"
(See: @joshuaslane/silver-adventures-captain-joshua-slane-02se25-bankers-traders-and-land-owners )
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[At camp…riverside, south of Youngstown…]
One by one. The stars appeared in the dark sky above the crackling camp-fire. The forest was quiet with the exception of an occasional hoot of an owl and the quiet rush of the river.
“I wish I could find out if my husband is alive or…” Leyla said softly, gazing up at the stars.
“If anyone is well qualified to solve it, it's you, we trust you and I think I'm not the only one who can say that!” Lupega replied with a smile.
“Lupega…we are the only ones…” Leyla reminded with a raised eyebrow, “No one else is here.”
“I think I'm missing some information…”
“Yes, I think you are…” Leyla said with a concerned look, then changing the subject, “Do you have many friends…on the ship?”
“Oh yes, forty-nine at least! We are a grateful crew!”
“Your friends call you Lupega?”
“Yes, but my close friends call me Felipe.”
“Felipe…that’s a nice name.”
“Thank you very much…it’s what I was given.” Lupega said as he gazed at her, “How does a pretty, young girl live alone for two years in the forest Leyla?”
Leyla wrinkled her brow a moment as she thought of how to answer…
“I was afraid…afraid to leave…”
“Afraid?” Lupega asked as he tossed another stick into the fire...
“Afraid to leave, lest my husband returned and not find me...”
“Hmmm, true devotion!”
Leyla looked up at him a moment…”Do you have a wife Lupega?”
“Well, you smile, that tells me that everything is going well, I am very sensitive Hahaha, lies, man I am NOT capable of lying, in fact I am excellent at telling the truth, looking people directly in the eyes, I try to modify my voice, but my eyes give me away Hahaha, all that is left is to give them a good hit!”
“You’re also not good at answering my questions…” Leyla replied as she exhaled and folded her arms in front of her, “You think tomorrow we will reach your ship?”
“Well, I’m very optimistic!” He said as he picked up the small black pot sitting on the edge of the fire, “A coffee....? I’ll drink one…coffee is never too much.”
Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes just twenty feet to their west! And then, the crunching of leaves just to their north, followed by a low rumbling gurgle to their south!
“What was that?!” Leyla said in a startled voice.
“What was what?”
“Those noises! Listen!”
Lupega sat quietly as he tilted his head towards the western forest. Once again there was a distinct crunching of leaves!
“I confess that I am psychologically rigid, I like everything clean and in its place, but that noise doesn’t sound right!” He replied as turned and looked west.
“Lupega, I’m scared!”
“Don’t be afraid Leyla, it’s probably just some squirrels playing!” Lupega assured.
“Squirrels don’t play at night Lupega!” She replied as she grabbed his arm and gazed over his shoulder.
Then came a sound that both would know was no squirrel!
“That’s no squirrel Lupega!!” Leyla blurted out as she grabbed him even tighter.
“No, you’re right…not a squirrel!” He said soberly, standing up and then glancing up at the sky briefly, “It's nice to know that you're always there for us!”
Suddenly the bushes just to their south parted and a fearsome sight appeared!
Leyla let out a terrified scream!
[On the Silverton….forecastle deck…]
Able Seaman Bulliontools and Seamen Punkysdad and Javeson finished coiling up the jib sail lines in a neat spiral under the light of the forward lanterns…
“Why do you think the Keptin ended the auction so early today?” Javeson asked as he gazed down at the wharf where a sizable crowd of people were still gathered.
“No clue…” replied Bulliontools, “Seemed like we were right in the heat of bidding.”
“Hey, here comes Standing Officer Bitcoinman, maybe he knows…” Punkysdad added as he saluted, “Sairrr!”
“I'm here, at ease men…” Bitcoin said as he mounted the stairs and saluted back.
“Excuse me Sairrr, but we were wondering…why did the Keptin cut the auction short today?” Javeson asked.
“I only heard that he didn’t want to end the auction in the evening…too much silver to move in the dark of night.” Bitcoinman said as he gazed down at the town.
“Hmm…that makes sense.”
Meanwhile, down below, the group of traders milled around the wharf far longer than the other groups. There was quiet talk and a nodding of heads. The tall man in the center in the long leather coat was giving instructions and motioning at the French Corvette.
From high in the captain’s cabin, Joshua took a long draw on his pipe as he watched…
“Black Bart! Nothin’ guid wull comes o’ thes!” He murmured to himself as he kept a watchful eye, “Ance a pirate, alwa’s a pirate!”
Bartholomew Roberts, born John Roberts (Eventually known as ‘Black Bart’), was a Welsh pirate who was, measured by vessels captured, th' most successful pirate of th' golden age of piracy. Durin' his piratical career, he took ower 400 prize ships, althoogh most waur maur fishin' boats. Roberts raided ships aff th' Americas an' th' west African coest atween 1719 an' 1722; he is also noted fur creatin' his ain pirate code, an' adoptin' an early variant o’ th' skull an' crossbones flag.
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📝 Note: "If th' Toor o' High Islain' has caught yer intrest, all o' me stoatin' adventures kin be foond by searchin':
Silver Adventures of Captain Joshua Slane
Oan yer 'Hife Search tool' an' sae forth." 😉 -Keptin
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References: - Pictures from: www.freeimages.com, www.pexels.com, pixabay.com, Hive.blog, Wikipedia an’ www.google.com/maps. Data also loosely interpretted froms: historica.fandom.com, Wikipedia, an' sometimes finely crafted reit from th' author's extensiff personal experience an' such.
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need tae gab with th' Keptin?- Skelp th' 'Reply' button muckers!" - Keptin
📝 "Remember maties, bein' crew oan th' mighty Frigate Silverton ⛵ is a sure cure fur loneliness! We sail together...ur nae at aw!" 🙌🏼🤝👲🏼🥷🏼👩🏼🍳👨🏼🔧👨🏼💼🧑🏼🎨🧕🏼🤵🏼♂️🤵🏼♂️🦹🏼💁🏼🙋🏼♀️👩🏼🍳🤴🏼👮🏼♂️💂🏼♂️🕵🏼👨🏼⚕️ 😉 -Keptin
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