Timothy of the Cay Read Online Free PDF

white sands of the beaches. He would hold them inside until he returned.
    Before the first donkey bray and cockcrow, even before the first ribbons of canary yellow light from the east came over Grass Cay and Thatch Cay and Mariendahl, he poked Tante Hannah in the ribs and said, "'Tis time to wake up."
    She nodded and shook off her sleepiness, then went to the other side of the curtain to take off her nightdress and replace it with a blouse and skirt.
    Outside, Timothy lifted the heavy kettle off the charcoal pile and pushed aside the night's feathery ashes, uncovering a few pieces that still glowed. It was the last time he'd ever perform this chore. After adding new charcoal he filled a pot with water and placed it over the coals. Tante Hannah would soon make bush tea. The tea and a few pieces of cassava bread spread with her orange marmalade would be their breakfast.
    Last night Hannah had told Timothy he should wear his new store-bought pants and shirt going aboard the ship; he should dress nicely for the captain and mate, place his few personal belongings in a yam bag. So he went about doing that while the water boiled. He planned to wear his shoes and make sure the mate saw them.
    Soon, saying little to each other, they started down the hill. With the low clouds' dimness he could not see the harbor. All of St. Thomas was shadowy, save a few early cooking fires.
    As they reached the far-west end of the waterfront, even before the wharf began, Timothy stopped to put his shoes on. He'd daubed his blistered heels with Tante Hannah's salve and knew he could endure the pain until such time as he boarded the ship.
    Tante Hannah finally spoke again. "Ah pray de good Lawd to keep yuh safe. Yuh do de same."
    Timothy nodded but his attention was ahead, east along the wharf, toward the
Amager.
Though she was the fifth ship down, he should be able to see her tall masts in the gray light. But they didn't seem to be there.
    He quickened his pace, ignoring the pain. Had she sailed? His ribs grew tight, his breath shortened. He began to run.
    "Ah cain't see 'er!" he yelled frantically at Tante Hannah over his shoulder. There was panic in his yell. She struggled to keep up with him.
    Finally, he reached the
Amager's
berth. He couldn't believe it was empty. Panting, he looked south and saw the ship's white hull and masts standing out to sea between Hassel Island and Rupert Rock. Streaks of dawn illuminated her. The only steam tug in the harbor, the
Glory,
had her under tow, and Timothy knew her sails were being hoisted.
    He was stunned.
They'd gone without him!
He should have come earlier. Tante Hannah puffed up beside him.
    "Dere she is," he said, his voice high-pitched and helpless. "Dey left me..."
    "Mebbe 'nudder boat cain cotch 'er," said Tante Hannah, breathing hard.
    A voice behind them said, "'Tis no use."
    They turned.
    The owner of the sloop tied up ahead of the
Amager,
a captain Timothy knew, said quietly, "Dey hired a
bukra
boy last night..."
    The yam bag dropped by Timothy's feet, and his body became board stiff. His eyes were tightly closed, but not tightly enough to stop tears from leaking down.
    He heard Tante Hannah say, "Anudder time dere will be." But her words did little to heal the ache inside Timothy. He felt empty, demolished.
    A white boy had his job. Had he not made the captain's bed the right way? Was the brass not polished bright enough? Did the tub not shine?
    Tante Hannah said, "Timothy, we be goin' home now."
    He took another look at the
Amager
before her stern disappeared around the bulge of the island near Cowell's Point, and he nodded.
    Then he bent to remove the shoes and tuck them under his arm. Tante Hannah told him to walk tall and straighten his shoulders.

7. Curaçao
    Never having flown before, I wanted to watch the drifting, fluffy clouds, see the Caribbean below us. Perhaps a ship or a schooner would be cutting a white wake in the blue waters down there. Instead, I listened to the noisy twin