The Deepest Waters, A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

said.
    “What I was aimin’ for. Made a’ cloth and stuffin’. She wants you to throw it, and she’ll fetch it back.”
    Laura reached for the toy. “Will she let go?”
    “Not till you wrestle it a few minutes. She’ll growl, but it’s a happy one. You’re the only lady on the ship she come to. I seen her sitting there right next to you, ’bout the last thirty minutes. Guess she got tired of waitin’ on you to wake up.”
    Laura tossed the crab down to the lower part of the main deck. It didn’t go far but slid a few feet more. Crabby took off. She lunged for it but slipped past it. Her body spun around and slid right into a bucket full of soapy water, knocking it over. A crewman had been sitting beside it, using it to scrub the deck. The water spilled all over his pants. He slammed his scrub brush down and stood up.
    “Stupid dog,” he yelled, loud enough to turn every head in his direction. “Had about enough of you and your stupid foolishness. Come here.”
    Crabby reacted to the man, cowering in fear.
    The man reached over and with one hand grabbed her by the nape of her neck. He slung her back, ready to throw her over the side.
    The next moment shocked everyone.
    Laura had never seen a man move so fast. Just like that, and Micah was right beside him. He grabbed the crewman’s arm, froze it in place, then swung his leg around in a motion that swept the crewman’s feet out from under him. He crashed to the deck and let out a loud moan. Crabby ran off and hid behind Micah.
    The man rolled over, looked up at Micah with eyes full of hate. “Why, you stinking black savage. I’ll teach you to lay a hand on me.”
    Micah instantly retreated to the submissive posture Laura had seen previously. “I’s only tryin’ to keep you from makin’ a big mistake, suh,” he said. “Can’t be throwin’ Crabby over the side like that. Cap’n wouldn’t want that.”
    The crewman ignored him and reached for a leather strap hanging nearby on a nail. He swung it around and whipped Micah over and over. Laura screamed for him to stop. Women and children throughout the deck yelled at him to stop, but he kept beating him. Micah fell to the deck, covered his face with his hands. Crabby charged at the man, but he kicked her to the side, then whipped her too.
    Laura hurried toward the scene, not sure what to do. Just then she saw a man lunge forward and grab hold of the crewman’s hand, the one holding the strap. “Hit that man again, and I’ll wrap this strap around your neck,” he said.
    As she got closer, she saw it was Lieutenant Ashcroft, from the Vandervere .
    “Take your hand off me,” the crewman shouted.
    Instead, Ashcroft moved his face within a handsbreadth of the man. “I don’t know if Captain Meade believes in flogging, but you say another word and I’ll flog you myself to within an inch of your life.”
    The crewman’s face broke, his anger suddenly dissolved. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant. Didn’t recognize you without your uniform.” He let the strap fall to the deck and stepped back.
    “What’s going on here?” Captain Meade yelled as he made his way to the main deck. Everyone backed away and made room. “Lieutenant? Maul? What’s all this about?” He looked down at Micah, saw the welts on his face and arms. Micah got up.
    Several women shouted their renditions, filling the deck with noise and confusion.
    “Silence, ladies, if you please,” the captain said over it all. They instantly obeyed.
    “I was just teaching this slave here a lesson,” said the crewman.
    “You were beating him senseless,” Ashcroft said.
    “What did he do?” asked the captain. “One at a time, gentlemen. Starting with you, Lieutenant.”
    “Sir, I didn’t actually see what the slave did, just saw your Mr. Maul here whipping him with that strap.”
    “Beg your pardon, Captain, but this slave here grabbed my arm and threw me to the deck.”
    “What?” Captain Meade asked. He looked at Micah, standing now.