Jack Beale 00 - Killer Run

flags were hoisted into the rigging. “What is going on?” she asked as member of the crew rushed past.
“We’re to rendezvous,” was the fleeting reply.
The tension on deck that she had felt before was now replaced with excitement and the anticipation of meeting this other ship.

CHAPTER 19
Meeting another ship in the middle of the ocean rarely happened and when it did, it usually had a bad outcome. Now the Captain had ordered signals flown and course changed so that the two ships would deliberately come together. For the next several hours time alternately passed both terribly slowly and incredibly quickly as the two ships closed on each other.
Christine remained on deck. She found a place where she could keep that speck of white in her sight, as if that would make all the difference in meeting or not, while remaining out of the way of the crew as they prepared for the meeting. She was fascinated at how it seemed that for the longest time no progress was made, but then, after she looked away for what seemed like only a moment, when she looked back the ship was considerably closer. Several hours passed as that patch of white on the horizon slowly grew in size. Then, for one magical moment, as her ship rose to the top of a large wave, the other also rose to the top of a wave, revealing itself for the first time. And then it was gone, leaving once again only that patch of white sails against the blue sky and the darker ocean.
But now the activity on deck increased, with cries and shouts and much running about. To Christine it seemed nothing more than chaos, but every face reflected a purpose, as did every motion.
The Captain returned to the deck and Christine noticed that in addition to his telescope, a sword now hung from his waist and a pistol had been wedged into his waistband. For the first time, her excitement and wonder were replaced with fear. She made her way from her vantage point where she had been able to observe their progress and the workings of the crew, over toward the Captain. With glass raised to his eye, he was so intent on watching the other ship, she had to clear her throat in an effort to engage him. “Ahem. Captain. I apologize for disturbing you, but as we near that ship, I can’t help but wonder if what we do is not foolish since I now see you with sword and pistol.”
Slowly he lowered the glass from his eye and turned toward her. His gaze was intense, but the tone of his reply was actually soothing. “Fear not. We have exchanged signals with that ship. I know of the captain and he sails for your uncle.”
“Then why do you wear sword and pistol?”
“ ’Tis the way of the sea.” Then he turned away from her and lifted his glass in the direction of the other ship.
Christine understood that she had been dismissed and that no further conversation would be forthcoming. She retreated back to her corner of the deck still not understanding why he was so armed when his words offered no hint of concern.
As the other ship approached, she could see that its hull was black and the sails that had seemed so white and pure from afar were actually well worn, patched, and even to her unseamanly eye, dirty. The ship had an air of hard use about it that bordered on abuse. The two ships were now less than a quarter of a mile apart, and having hove to, each ship’s crew watched the other with curious intensity.
The other ship lowered a boat and Christine watched as a half dozen men, stroke by stroke, drew near. Their arrival was announced by a great commotion, but she could no longer see them since she was not in a position to see over the side. The Captain remained motionless in the center of the deck.
The first man to climb over the rail onto the deck was a stocky, dangerous looking man. His hair and beard were unkempt, and his clothes were as worn and patched as the sails on his ship.
The Captain made no move toward him, nor did he step toward the Captain. While he waited for the five other men to climb over the rail and join him on the deck, his dark, rat-like eyes nervously darted about, in much the way a wild animal would when placed in a new setting. Christine held her breath, both fascinated and terrified by this man. Then, just as the last man climbed over the rail, his eyes found hers and her heart went cold. His gaze seemed to bore deep into her and she spun away to hide from his sight, gasping for breath as she did so.
“Welcome aboard,” she heard the Captain say. She turned back, and