Free Pirates of the Storm (Stranded In Time Book 1) by Fletcher Best Page B

jumped to their feet.
    “Mr. Allison! What’s the meaning of
this?” the Captain boomed.
    “Fuuuck… Ye… Coxxxen!” the man gasped
through his bruised throat.
    “Mr. Crabtree, please remove this
vermin!”
    “Aye, Captain! Shall I kill
‘im?”
    “No, Mr. Crabtree, though it goes
against my better judgment, simply insure that he will not be able
to cause any further trouble between now and when we
sail.”
    “Aye, Captain!” Crabtree acknowledged
as he bent down and yanked Allison to his feet. “Stevens and other
Stevens, come with me to take this trash out.”
    “Aye!” the two said in unison, before
joining Crabtree in shoving Allison through the crowd and out the
door.
    Coxen turned toward Jeff. “Thank you,
Mr. Greene. That was very well done!”
    “Friend of yours I take it,” Jeff
said, nodding his head toward the door.
    The Captain laughed. “A former member
of my crew. He was caught taking additional rations of rum and so I
dismissed him. He may hold a bit of a grudge though since we left
him naked in the street with the word ‘thief’ painted on his
back.”
    “I’m surprised you didn’t order
Crabtree to kill him. He did just try to kill you,” Jeff
remarked.
    “Aye. When I was a younger man, I
would have killed him myself on the spot. For that matter I would
have had him hanged for his original indiscretion. But the years
have quenched my bloodlust and now I only kill when I must. In any
event, I am glad that you were watching my back when all I had
asked of you was to watch your own.”
    “Anytime,” Jeff nodded, but aren’t you
worried about Allison trying again to kill you?”
    “Ah, Mr. Greene, with a past like
mine, there are many who I’m sure would gladly take my life if
given the chance. Worrying about Mr. Allison would be like worrying
about one drop of rum in a barrel!”
    “I guess I see your point,” Jeff
agreed.
    The serving wench was approaching with
pitchers. “Back to the business at hand,” the Captain shouted.
“Drink up, men! But save some rum for Crabtree and the Stevens.
They’ll be thirsty when they return!”
    The serving wench quickly departed and
soon returned with a pot and a stack of dishes and spoons. “Goat
stew,” she reported as she set the items in the center of the
table.
    As she left, Crabtree and the Stevens
re-entered the tavern and returned to the table. “We sorted things
with Mr. Allison, Captain. We’ll see no more o’ him,” Crabtree
reported as the men took their seats.
    “Very good, Mr. Crabtree,” the Captain
nodded. Jeff was curious to know what had become of Allison, but
Crabtree and the Stevens did not seem inclined to volunteer any
information and somehow it seemed inappropriate to ask as they were
eager to partake of the food and drink.
    When everyone at the table had their
fill, the Captain announced, “Thank you Mr. Turnbuckle, Mr. Gibson,
Mr. Thomas, for joining us. We should be getting back to the ship.”
The three elders arose and thanked the Captain for his hospitality.
Turning to Jeff, the Captain asked, “So, Mr. Greene, have you made
your decision?”
    “Yes, Captain. It seems to me that my
best chance of getting back to my own time, slim though it may be,
is to be aboard a ship. If you are still willing to have me, I
would like to remain with you and your crew.
    “Aye! Very good, Mr.
Greene. Men, welcome the newest member of the crew. We shall
initiate him properly when we get back to the Wandering Wench !”
    Jeff was a bit nervous about what the
initiation into a pirate crew might be, but he smiled and bowed to
each of the men as they offered their welcome to the
crew.
    “Now then, we should be getting back
to the ship,” the Captain instructed as he headed for the door.
Jeff and the others followed him out of the Tavern and down to the
longboat. The two Stevens took the oars and Crabtree took the
rudder as they pushed off from shore. The Captain turned to Jeff
and said, “Well, Mr. Greene, tomorrow we