Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates (45 page)

'Hmm.' Max looked doubtful. 'Excuse me, but my life just doesn't work out that way. At least, it hasn't so far. And I may remind you of this conversation when we're dying of heat in the middle of some stinking jungle swamp.' He sighed again. 'Now, come on,' he said. 'Since it looks like we've only a few days to rest our heels, you can take me to the Spyglass Inn and buy me that bucket of ale now!'

'Only if you promise not to sing,' Sebastian warned him.

'The very idea!' Max looked positively affronted. 'I'll have you know, I come from a very respectable family. I can assure you, they'd never have stood for any of that kind of behaviour!'

'Is that so?' murmured Sebastian. He stood up, unhitched Max and led him back in the direction of the tavern. 'So what happened the last time we were in there? That was just an oversight, was it?'

'I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about,' said Max haughtily. 'Not the foggiest! Really, sometimes I think you make up these stories, just to vex me!'

'Well, I suppose this is goodbye,' said Sebastian mournfully.

The
Sea Witch
was fully provisioned and ready to sail. The crew moved around the decks, making their last-minute adjustments with practised ease. The sails flapped beneath a stiff breeze, eager to be tilted into the wind, to move the ship away from the dock and out into open water.

'I'll be back soon enough,' Jenna assured him. 'Besides, you'll be off on your own travels any time now.'

'The day after tomorrow,' admitted Sebastian. 'Well, there's nothing to keep me here now, is there?' He glanced over the ship's rail towards the quayside, where he saw Cornelius and Max bickering about something. Bickering already and they hadn't even left Ramalat. Not for the first time, he asked himself if he had made a terrible mistake.

Other people were saying their goodbyes too. The Kid had signed on as cabin boy for the voyage, quite a step down from being captain of his own ship, but he was determined to prove himself a trustworthy seaman. He was over by the forecastle, bidding farewell to his father. Captain Jack Donovan was looking a lot healthier than he had back on that remote island. He had put on a bit of weight and his eyes had lost their hollow, sunken look.

His return to Ramalat had caused an uproar, and several days later he had hired one of his former friends to take him across to Lemora in search of his old adversaries Bones and Sully. After a short interval he had returned to Ramalat. Nobody knew for sure what had happened over there, but there hadn't been a sign of Bones and Sully since Donovan's visit and nobody cared about them enough to go looking for them. Since then, however, Donovan appeared to have turned over a new leaf. He was working in one of the local carpenter's shops, employing some of the skills he had picked up while marooned on the treasure island.

As Sebastian watched, the Kid and his father shook hands and strolled back towards the gangplank.

'Make sure he does everything he's told,' Captain Donovan told Jenna. 'I want at least one of the family to have a respectable career.'

'I'll watch out for him,' Jenna promised.

'I'll bring you back a souvenir from the south coast,' the Kid promised his father with a grin. 'And you make sure you don't get into any trouble.'

'I'm done with all that now,' said Donovan. 'From here on I'm going to walk along the right path.' He bowed to Jenna and Sebastian, and then turned and left the ship. He nodded to Cornelius and Max as he walked by, but they were too busy arguing to even notice him.

'Well . . .' said Jenna. 'I suppose we really should weigh anchor now.' She nodded to Lemuel, who in turn strode away to give orders to the other crewmen.

Sebastian nodded. He looked at her for a moment, wishing there was something else he could say, but he couldn't think of anything; so he took her in his arms and held her tightly. He had a sudden powerful feeling that he would never see her again and he wanted to tell her about it, but couldn't seem to find the right words.

'I think this is where you're supposed to kiss her,' suggested the Kid gleefully.

Sebastian glared at him. 'Don't you start!' he growled. 'You've obviously been spending too much time with Max.' But he
did
kiss her lightly on the lips and then, with a forced smile, he turned away and went quickly down the gangplank. He trudged across to Cornelius and Max, who were still arguing.

'. . . and I say it's ridiculous, hiring a big heavy wagon like that,' said Max. 'We'll have to go along jungle trails and it will get bogged down.'

'Who says we're taking it into the jungle?' retorted Cornelius. 'No, we leave the wagon at the edge, hidden under the vegetation, and we continue on foot, carrying the equipment we need on pack animals—'

'Oh and I suppose you include me in that category, do you?'

'Well, naturally, I would have thought that you'd like to contribute to the expedition. Or perhaps you think you're—'

'You two,' snapped Sebastian, in a voice harsh enough to silence both of them. 'If you are going to bicker all the way through this expedition, I for one am not going. Do I make myself clear?'

They fell into a sullen silence and watched as the ship's huge anchors were winched from the sea bed. Powerful hands heaved on ropes and the sails began to billow as they filled with wind. The
Sea Witch
moved smoothly away from the quayside. Sebastian could see Jenna leaning on the rail. Beside her, the Kid lifted a hand to wave. Sebastian waved back automatically.

'Isn't it strange how all your women keep leaving you?' said Max.

Sebastian looked at him. 'What do you mean?' he said irritably. '
All
my women? I've only had two.'

'Three if you count the witch,' said Cornelius.

'You can't really include her,' said Max, 'because she changed into a big cat and died. But the other two, they both gave him the cold shoulder.'

'I haven't had the cold shoulder!' protested Sebastian. 'Princess Kerin had to sacrifice her feelings for the good of her people. And Jenna . . . well, she has a job to do, that's all.

She'll be back in a couple of moons.'

'Yes, but you have to wonder, don't you? One woman alone on a ship full of men for all that time. And some of the crew are very good looking—'

'Max,' said Sebastian quietly, 'I'd like you to be quiet now.

OK?'

'But I—'

'Shut up!'

Max made a discontented huffing sound, but he didn't say anything more. Sebastian stood there watching intently until the ship had dwindled to a tiny black dot on the horizon. Then he turned and walked away along the quay.

'Hey, wait for us!' yelled Cornelius. He hurried after Sebastian and fell into step beside him, still limping slightly. Max dropped into position on his other side.

'So . . . where to now?' he asked.

'To the jungles of Mendip,' said Sebastian quietly. 'And whatever fate awaits us there.'

Follow the adventures of Sebastian, Cornelius and Max in Book Three:
Sebastian Darke, Prince of Explorers.