Pirates! Read Online Free PDF Page A

face darkened and veins stood out on his forehead at William’s defiance.
    ‘What are you waiting for? Get going, or I’ll shoot you for trespassing.’
    William stayed where he was. Even when Joseph turned for the pistol holstered in his saddle, he did not move.
    ‘I have business here.’
    ‘Business? What business?’ Joseph turned to Robert who was trying to lead horse and pistol away from his reach. ‘Leave it!’ he barked. ‘Keep the horse where he is or I’ll shoot you, too!’
    ‘I want payment.’ William stood his ground.
    ‘Then go and see your captain. Why come to me?’
    ‘I would if I could find him.’
    Joseph squinted at him. ‘What ship did you say? What captain?’
    ‘Captain Thomas,’ said William. ‘The Amelia . We came in two days since.’
    ‘Can’t find him, you say?’
    ‘No,’ William shook his head.
    ‘Didn’t look very hard, did you? I’ve just left him in his cabin!’ Joseph jeered. ‘I have it all here.’ He pulled the saddlebags from the horse and draped them over his shoulder. ‘All his men are paid off. Except for a rascal who lost a whole parcel of slaves overboard. That wretch owes him money. Get your hands off me!’ He shrugged Robert off and staggered off across the yard towards the house.
    William turned from us, head held high so we could not see his humiliation. As a boy in a man’s world, he could expect to be cheated and mocked, and all he could do was endure it. Otherwise they would bait him to madness. He walked slowly towards the stables, came back shouldering his pack, and turned for the road.
    ‘Where you going?’ Robert called after him.
    ‘Down to the ship to get my money.’
    ‘No.’ Robert followed, catching hold of his arm. ‘You go on that ship and you won’t be leaving it again. Cap’n says you owe him money. He’ll keep you in the hold until it’s time to sail. You’ll wake up halfway across Biscay, if you wake at all.’
    He was right. William was trapped and he knew it. He turned back, dropping his pack as if it were suddenly too heavy for him. His shoulders drooped as if he carried the world upon them.
    ‘What am I to do?’
    ‘You could sign to another ship,’ Robert suggested.
    ‘Without my money? Never!’
    ‘You could join the Navy anyway.’ Robert looked at him. ‘It’s a hard life, no doubting that, but as you say, it’s a cleaner trade.’
    ‘I do not want to join as a tar. It isn’t the harshness and hardship – I’ve endured that and more. I’d thought to join as a gentleman! Cut a decent figure!’ He glanced at me. ‘I have my reasons for that, and now they would cheat me of it. They’ve had near four years work out of me and I’ll get nothing!’ He held his hands up to show the cuts and calluses. ‘For all this! Nothing! It was the only thing that kept me going ... ’
    He looked as if he might weep.
    ‘Wait! Wait there!’ I left them in the yard and went into the house. I entered through a side door and paused to listen. Servants’ voices carried faintly from the kitchen; a low murmur and cups clinking sounded from the drawing room. I stole across the clock-ticking silence of the hall, taking care not to let my shoes tap on the tiles of the floor. I stopped again at the foot of the stairs, then trod each step carefully, keeping to the centre so that the new Turkey carpet would deaden my footfall. I passed along the landing to my brother’s room. The door stood ajar. I pushed it further and slipped inside.
    Joseph was lying face down on the bed, his powdered wig askew, his boots muddying the counterpane, so deep asleep that a sharp tug on the ear failed to rouse him. I rolled him over and reached into his breast waistcoat pocket for the key to my father’s bureau. I could have taken his gold chain, his watch, anything I wanted. I smiled to find him so stupid, reflecting that I was hardly the first to fleece him this way, and I would not be the last. Once I had the key secured, I backed towards