Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

compass heading. With any luck, the Wench would make more than a
hundred miles by midnight.
Unfortunately, luck was against them.
As the sun dipped toward the western horizon, Jack and Robby
were standing on the weather deck, going over the watch roster, when
Chamba appeared, heading for the two men. When he reached Jack
he hesitated before speaking, giving Robby Greene a swift glance.
“You may speak in front of First Mate Greene,” Jack said. “I’ve
apprised him of the situation regarding our passengers.”
Jack had filled Robby in on what was happening over breakfast in
his cabin, including his hopes for a fast voyage north to Kerma. Robby
had gotten a good laugh over Jack’s description of Caesar and his
antics. “You should have sent me, Jack,” he’d said, amused. “Before I
was ’pressed by our estimable Royal Navy to be a powder monkey, I
used to ride the horses on my father’s farm.” He’d smiled slightly at the
memory. “Of course, they were huge plow horses. Not nearly as…
lively…as Caesar sounds.”
Jack had started to laugh with his first mate, then grimaced
instead as muscles protested. “I agree, I should have sent you, mate.
Then it would be your bum that feels as though it got keelhauled last
night. I hope I never have to straddle one of those misbegotten jades
again, and that’s the truth.”
Now, as evening approached, Chamba nodded at Jack. “Aye,
Cap’n. Good evenin’, Mr. Robby.”
“So how are our passengers doing?” Robby asked.
“Mr. Tarek, he be doing pretty much fine, but Miss Ayisha, she
lookin’ pretty peaky. Didn’t want no food. I got her settled in her bunk,
and she finally fall asleep.”
“Bunk?” Jack said. “What bunk?”
“When Miss Ayisha see Tarek climb into his hammock, she say, ‘I
can’t do that.’ She say she too old to climb into such a contraption. So I
speak to Mr. Newton, and he come back down and right quick nail
together a bunk frame for her on the deck. I found an old straw tick in
the ship’s stores, and that’s where she be lying, Cap’n.”
Jack glanced at Robby. “Samuel Newton appears to be a find,” he
commented.