Slave Of Destiny Read Online Free PDF

it
back in the sheath and wrapping it back up.
    “I want you to have
it, because I have another one and you’re going to need it. You’re the first
person who’s man enough to stand up to mad Wayne” he advised.
    “Thanks Alby. I’ll
take good care of it” Michael added as he placed the weapon deep in his pocket.
     
    Michael sipped a
steaming hot coffee while he waited for the two women to bring out the food.
    “Where are we
sailing to, Alby?” he asked curiously.
    “An island to the
north of Australia; a place called Diamond Island. The captain spoke of an
island surrounded by treacherous reefs with only a single entry into a small
bay” Alby said softly.
    “What are we going
to find there?” he asked.
    “The captain talked
about untold wealth in gold and jewels. It’s time to eat, because it’s going to
be a long day” he said as the steaming food arrived.
     
    * * *
     
    That afternoon
Michael listened to some sailors swapping stories while smoking long clay
pipes. He noticed other crew scrambling up masts to fix ropes, pulleys and
sails. Jack shouted commands to some men amongst the laughter and screeching
gulls. Captain Thomas shuffled over to him and said “I see that you’re
beginning to enjoy yourself listening to their stories.”
    “I am enjoying
myself now I’ve heard of strange lands, untold wealth and beautiful women. I
also heard the men mentioning the beautiful mermaids which live on the rocks
around some of the islands.” he said.
    The captain threw
his head back and roared with laughter. “I think you need to keep away from the
mermaids.”
    “Those mermaids will
capture your heart as quick as a flash, especially a lad as young as you.”
suggested a tattooed man named Slippery Sam.
    They both erupted
into laughter again while a few other sailors walked over, curious to hear what
they were laughing about.
    “We got us a brand
new cabin boy?” one of them asked.
    “Oh yes, young and
naive” he said. “We warned him not to fall in love with a mermaid, but we
forgot to mention the sea monsters.”
    Michael glared at
him furiously, because he had tried to appear mature.
    “Come with me m’lad
and I’ll lay out you some of my charts and I’ll show you where all the perils
are” he added before walking away and climbing up to the aft ships, Captain’s
cabin, on the second rear deck.
    The men returned to
work, but Michael followed Captain Thomas up the ladder.
    “I’ll tell you a
little bit about The Teresa first. This sloop isn’t large by any means,
but it’s still 87 feet long. As you probably have already discovered, the small
officer’s quarters are on the forward second deck. The middle or lower top deck
is called the poop deck, while on the bow there is the bow spirit and anchor.
The galley is directly under us in the hull, the ladies quarters are aft near
the storage hold and the men sleep forward of the galley. There are two other
storage holds lower in the hull. My wife and I, of course, live up here. There
are a total of fourteen people on this sloop, so that’s why we have to work
together harmoniously” he mentioned. “Now I’ll show you my charts and Diamond
Island.”
    Michael spent about
forty minutes pouring over the detailed charts while listening to Captain
Thomas comments, before he had to return to his chores.
     
     Michael noticed
that he was beginning to smell from the lack of a bath, so when he had a half
hour to spare, he crawled through the rear hatch with a bucket, rope and a rag.
On the secluded second rear deck he washed himself with sea water as best as he
could. Michael didn’t want Sally to become distant, just after they had become
reacquainted. After he removed the dirt and some dried blood, he felt alive and
back to normal, so Michael returned to the locker to store his swabbing bucket.
    “You look more
presentable now” noticed Constance when he returned to the galley. “I need some
more fresh water from the hold, so can you get me