Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

on? Jack was skeptical. Could it be possible that Ayisha had a
husband or a lover among the other members of the caravan? He
reminded himself that not all men were obsessed with women’s faces
and bodies…only most of them, in his experience.
“She say he her friend.” Chamba emphasized the word. “She say
this slave belong to Mr. Dalton. Dalton farm a big place outside
Calabar, on the south road.”
“How far south?” Jack demanded.
“Maybe five mile, she say.”
“Oh, great,” Jack said. “And I suppose she expects me to help her
go steal this slave.”
“I think so, Cap’n.”
“Damn and blast,” Jack said, with feeling. “And here I thought this
would be easy. Does she know where this slave’s sleeping quarters
are, at this farm?” Chamba translated.
Ayisha nodded, yes.
“All right,” Jack said. “I’ll do it. But she’d better be telling the truth
about knowing where this fellow will be sleeping.” He gave Ayisha a
glance that held more than a little irritation. She gave him a faint,
enigmatic smile, serene as a Madonna.
Jack did some rapid calculations, realizing that in order to make
sure they reached the Dalton farm in the middle of the night, and had
time to return well before dawn, they’d have to move fast. I’ll need a
horse, he thought. Or a horse and a wagon.
It would take a human at least ninety minutes to walk five miles. A
horse could travel five miles in less than an hour, and that was at a
moderate pace. Jack sighed. I’ll have to hire one at the local livery.
“Tell her I’ll meet her tomorrow night as soon as she can sneak
out, on the south road, just out of sight of town,” he said.
Chamba translated. Ayisha nodded yes.
Jack had only ridden a few times in his life, and not for any
distance. He decided that hiring a carriage or a small wagon would be
the best idea. He felt sure he could drive easier than he could ride, and
there would be a place for Ayisha to sit. For a moment he considered
trying to take a boat. The main river ran east to west, not north to south.
But there were smaller tributaries that flowed into the Calabar, and they