Chapter 14

I walked all that day and well into the evening, I was a man on a mission, my determination to rid the world of Arthur Jacobs drove me on. I walked at a good pace, with sweat dripping off me, running on rivulets down my back. I stopped for a break late in the afternoon and ate the last of the food I had with me, later, I stole some apples from an orchard to supplement my diet.

That evening I slept under a hedge, it was a dry warm evening, and I was dog tired, so I slept well. The following morning a cockerel at a local farm awoke me just as the sun was rising. I woke from my slumber as stiff as a board and had to do a few stretches to get my body moving again.

I drank the last of the water in my flask and heard my stomach rumbling, but I had no food left. I had a piss against the hedge and hit the road. I need to find a source of fresh water and to get some food.

As I walked, I took stock of my possessions, in the grain sack I had a spare shirt, some powder and shot for the pistol and that was that. In my pockets, I had a handful of silver coins. It would be enough to buy myself some food and maybe get a room for the night once I got to Plymouth.

I had one pistol and my trusty knife, I hoped that would be enough weaponry to do the job if not my hands would have to suffice.

What I would do then was anyone’s guess. I strode out and was soon eating up the miles. After two hours I came to a ford and walked up the river a few yards to find clean water to fill my flask. I drank heartily on the cool liquid, filled it again and set off. I kept walking all afternoon until I came to a little hamlet called Saint Germans.

It was early evening when I got there, I saw there was an Inn on the main through road. I went in and secured a room with an evening meal and a breakfast thrown in, but it used up nearly all the coins I had left in my pocket.

That evening I feasted on lamb stew and fresh bread washed down with a few pints of cold ale. I tried to chat with some of the locals, but they kept themselves to themselves. I was not sure if they were a miserable bunch or what. I left the bar with an empty pocket but with a full belly.

Anyway, I went to bed early and made the most of sleeping in a real bed for a change. The breakfast bell awoke me, a good meal and the long night’s sleep had revived my health and I felt as fresh as a daisy.

I had another long day in front of me, and with no cash left in my pockets, I made a pig of myself at the breakfast table. I had a huge bowl of porridge followed by bacon and eggs, followed by bread and jam.

As I ate another guest came in, he reminded me of old man Jenkins, giving it large, talking to the staff like they were pieces of shit, with his huge demands and such like. I took an instant dislike to him, the waitress that was serving me told me he came this way every month and made their life hell, but he paid the landlord well.

She told me the girls always tried to stay away from him as he always made free with his hands. One thing I did notice was a huge bag of coins he had hanging from his belt.

He had a stout walking stick with a huge, balled end that he used to attract the attention of the staff by bagging it on the table. He was a lout; an oaf that needs taking down a peg or two.

The girl told he was a merchant called Mr Pellow from Bodmin town and that he owned a raft of houses all around the area and that he collected the rent each month. She told me always stopped the inn the night before he travelled home.

He looked like he was not short of a bob or two. I knew it was wrong, but I need cash and he had plenty, so I planned to take some off him.

I finished my breakfast said goodbye to the waitress, she gave me a cheeky wink and told me to come back soon. A few weeks ago, I would have booked another night at the inn and tried my best to bed the wench. I took my bag and headed out on the road that led toward Bodmin.

I had a plan, but It was a gamble, but I hoped it would pay off. I found a small wood and cut myself a walking stick from a branch. I took some small stones from the bed of a stream and dropped them into my empty purse. I was setting a trap for Mr Pellow; the walking stick and the stones were the props that would help me. I wanted him to see me for something I was not ... a crippled sailor that was no threat to him.

I started to walk the road, I was waiting for a noise behind me, a local farmer went past on a pony and trap, he gave me a cheery hello and nod of the head. A few minutes later two gentlemen on fine horses galloped past me, they obviously did not like the look of me as they did not acknowledge me at all.

After another half an hour or so, I was beginning to wonder if my gamble had been the wrong one, I thought he would be heading home and this was the only road he could take if that was true, but perhaps he had taken a detour. I decided to keep going for a while longer, I needed some money and he, at that moment, was the only source I could see.

Then half an hour later I heard another pony and trap coming along. I glanced back, it was Mr Pellow, and he was alone. I started to put on a very exaggerated limp, I was almost hobbling along. As he got closer, I stood in the middle of the road with my hands raised, forcing him to stop. I could see he was armed with his stick plus a brace of pistols and he raised one of the guns toward me. It shook as he held it, I guessed he had never fired it in anger.

“Who are you boy?” he shouted, “who are you and what do you want?”

He had a strange way of talking where he seemed to repeat everything he said.

“I am just a crippled sailor sir, on my way home to Bodmin but I have been told there has been trouble on the road,” I told him trying to sound convincing.

“Trouble, trouble you say?” he shouted, “what kind of trouble are you talking about boy?”

“Two men at the inn In Saint Germans told me about robbers on the road” I replied, “robbers and food pads”

“And why would that worry you boy” he retorted, “why would you worry?

“My captain gave me some coins as I will never go to sea again after my accident,” said I and rattled the bag of pebbles. I was hoping that from this far away the pebbles would sound like coins.

“And you think that being with me will stop then robbing you?” he said and let out a roar of laughter.

I swung my cloak aside and showed him my gun.

“No sir I just feel that two guns would be better than one,” I said putting a hint of menace into my voice, “So I figured if we travel together like, we will make less of a target!”

He sat back in his seat and placed the gun beside him, he pondered my suggestion for a few minutes.

“Well lad, I am happy to let you travel with me for free, if you agree to help guard my wares” he blustered. “Happy Indeed!”

“That seems like a good trade Sir, “I said with a smile.

“You had better jump up then boy,” he said with a wave of his hand.

“Thank you, Sir,” is said and hobbled toward the pony and trap.

“My name is Pellow, Mr Pellow and what is your name boy?” he said. “what do they call you?”

“They call me Jack, jack Hawkins sir,” it was the first name I could think of, he was an old shipmate of mine.

“Nice to meet you, Hawkins,” he said he was full of bull and bluster, “very nice to meet you!”

He seemed the type of man that assumed everyone else in the world was of a lower class than him. In other words, he was a complete wanker.

I made a meal of getting on board the trap, I wanted him to think I was disabled as it would make the next part of the plan easier. We trundled along for half an hour, he quizzed me about the sea and the ships I had worked on. I told him some true stories of my life travelling the ocean and told him a lie about some cargo breaking loose and it breaking my leg, thus the limp.

I asked him about his business, and he told me he was a farmer with a few houses that he rented out. So, I was not the only one that lied that day. The waitress had told me that Pellow owned more than a few houses.

We pulled off the main road and into a lane and minutes later he stopped the pony and trap outside a small cottage. He stepped off the trap and ordered me to keep the horse steady. He strode to the front door and used his walking stick to hammer on it. He really had no manners.

Seconds later an old lady came to the door and I saw a few silver coins being passed over. After a few words with the old crone, he was back on the trap and moving us off down the road. The cash bag was clinking well, and I knew there was a huge prize to be had.

We were soon back on the main road and rattling along at a good pace. There was a wood ahead and I decided this was where I would make my move. As we entered the wood, I took a long swig from my water bottle.

“I could do with refilling my flask Mr Pellow Sir,” I said.

“Good idea laddie” he grunted, “An incredibly good idea, you can fill mine as well whilst you are at it if you would be so kind?”

He pulled the pony and trap to a stop by a ford in a stream and I clambered down, making hard work of it so he would still think I was struggling. He passed me down the two water bottles.

“I will head upstream a bit to find clean water sir,” I said glancing around at the woods. “I will leave my pistol with you, sir!”

“Good idea boy” he replied, “An incredibly good idea!”

He looked like he would not know how to reload it if he did fire it.

I headed toward the thickest bit of the wood and ducked under some low-lying bows and walked up the stream. I put the water bottles on the grassy bank and searched around for a weapon. I had not wanted to use the pistol as it would make too much noise and I was not sure if there were any farmers or woodsman around.

I found a felled branch and used my knife to trim it down, it was soon shaped into a handy cudgel. I slapped it into the palm of my hand a couple of times, it was a weighty chunk of wood, it would do the trick that was for sure!

I found a bit of the riverbank that had broken away and I lowered myself into the water.

Then I cried out as if I had fallen and then I left it for a minute before calling for help

“Mr Pellow ... Mr Pellow sir, help sir ... help” I cried There was no reply, so I waited for a few minutes and shouted out again

“Mr Pellow ... Mr Pellow sir help sir ... help” I cried louder this time.

There was silence for a few seconds and then I heard him crashing around on the edge of the wood. I could hear him trampling around getting closer and closer.

“What is it boy, where are you “he shouted. “Boy?”

“The bank gave way, and I am stranded in the stream sir” I cried.

“I am coming laddie” he shouted, I could hear him coming toward me He stood at the top of the bank and let out a huge snort

“You are in a pickle there hey laddie” he laughed.” A pickle indeed!”

“That I am Sir, would you give me a hand up please?” I asked.

He knelt and extended his hand to me, I gripped it and without a second’s hesitation I pulled him down into the water, he squealed like a pig as he landed in the shallow stream. He wallowed around in the water for a few seconds, splashing about like a kid on the beach. Then he sat up and spat out a mouth full of the stream water.