Jack Book Two in the Trilogy: Murder on the High Seas

Unexpected Slaves Aboard Part 22

Jack and I rushed back to the docks and walked up the gangway slowly, laughing, acting like we were having a good ole time. The watch sad we had to wait a few more minutes before we could board - captain's orders. We were so scared we nearly turned around. But we didn't. I looked at Jack and he at me, and we just started laughing. I don't think I had ever seen Jack lose his nerve under pressure.

Once aboard, we saw no sign of Mauricia or America. We figured that, if they were on the ship, they were either in the captain's cabin or in the hold. We figured the hold. So we gradually made our way there after talking to the night watch about what time we were shipping out. Then we climbed down below deck where we immediately heard their muffled cries from behind the six by six inch squared logs, with a couple of windows, iron barred.

"Hey! They're stealing us! Help!" America yelled.

Jack rushed over and peered through a window into the slave hold. "America! Mauricia!" said Jack, "Don't yell. It's us, Jeremy and Jack," he said. "We're going to get you out of this."

I put my face to the opening and said, "Listen carefully. The ship's going to Cuba, where the slaves'll be picked up likely, then Costa Rica near Panama we think. That will be when we'll strike, after the men go on liberty. You'll hear them all walking the deck topside, then the ship, which likely will be docked, will be still. Our duties aboard are to take care of the darkies' eating and drinking needs. So we will be in touch."

"Can't you get us out now? I can't take this! Get us out of here!" said Mauricia.

"Me either. I hate this. Get us out!" said America.

"We have only one chance and it's to free everyone at the same time," Jack said. "If we try to free you now those Guinea slaves won't be have a chance in hell."

"What do we do?" asked America.

"Stay calm and keep the others calm when they come on. Find someone who knows English and tell him the plan, that there is going to be a revolt - either in Cuba when we land or maybe Costa Rica - that's possibly the second stop - but could be some other place. We don't know yet for sure. The captain is sneaky - you never know what he'll do and he keeps his cards close to his chest. But we think it will be Cuba first where the ship will pick up the Negroes, then Costa Rica. Understand?" said Jack.

"Yeah, we've got it. Anything else?"

"We will try to get you the best food and water that we can," said Jack. "Someone's heading toward the ladder - we gotta go!"