Son Of The Seas

4. Mine To Bear

Horatio was kneeled over Peter, shaking him gently, trying to wake him up. Eventually, after a few minutes of being passed out, Peter opened his eyes. He started coughing and turned to his side. Horatio patted him on his back to ease the coughing. "You are fine, sonny. Come, you better stand up."

Peter stood up next to Horatio. He had his arms folded and he was shivering. The entire crew was staring at them.

"He is alive?" Yelled Captain Francis. Everybody looked at him standing on the upper deck. "Good. Now we may proceed. Mister Ives, step forward," said Francis.

Horatio nudged Peter forward. Peter slowly walked forward and saw Francis on the upper deck, next to him stood Charlotte and at the bottom of the staircase stood John, trying to dry himself off.

There was a moment of silence. Then Francis said, "On this vessel, we have a code. And if any man breaks that code, he will be reprimanded." Peter just looked at him. Then Francis continued, "now, somebody better bloody well tell me what happened here!" Peter turned and looked at Cuttleworth.

"Captain! If I may," said Horatio as he took a step forward.

"Proceed, cook," Francis replied. Horatio took another step forward.

There was silence. "Captain, just as I was leaving your quarters, I saw mister Ives standing at the rail, leaning over, looking out. He leaned a little too far and lost his footing," Horatio said.

Francis looked at Peter. "Is this true?" Peter looked at Horatio and he nodded as if telling Peter to agree.

Peter then looked at Francis again and said, "yes captain. I slipped and fell over."

Francis leaned forward, putting both hands on the upper deck rail and said, "if that is the case, mister Ives, you almost cost me an asset, namely you, and you endangered the life of my quartermaster, mister Matheson. That, is something I will not stand for."

Francis looked at John. "Quartermaster, twenty lashes should do." Peter dropped his arms next to his sides and went pale in his face as he looked at Horatio, then at Francis again. He immediately looked at John to see his reaction.

"Captain! Wait!" Shouted Horatio as he saw the fear in Peter's eyes. Horatio moved to the front, and said, "as he is my apprentice, I volunteer to bear the punishment. I have yet to teach him the code."

Francis looked at Horatio, then said, "I have not yet granted him your apprentice, but what you say is true." Francis looked among the men, then stopped. "Mister Charlston! As he is still your scrub rat, that punishment is yours to bear. Unless of course, you release him to the galley. What say you?"

Charlston was leaning against a barrel, but stood up straight when Francis spoke to him. "Yes captain. The galley can have that good for nothing rat. He scrubs like a jellyfish anyway," Charlston said.

Most of the men started laughing. "Silence!" Barked Charlotte.

Francis looked at Horatio again. "Very well then. Cook. You know what this means, right?"

Horatio looked up at the captain, then said, "Yes captain. I do."

Francis pointed to John. "Quartermaster, you know what to do."

John nodded with a stern face. Francis looked out over the rest of the men. "As for the rest of you, the crows nest and deck hand will be on duty. The rest of you will retire after the punishment. Supper is cancelled. Carry on!" Francis turned around and walked into his quarters, followed by Charlotte. There was a grumble among the men.