Chapter 10: The Death Plant

Staring at the beach, while looking over the ship’s sideboards, Jake could see no one stirring. It appeared everyone had passed out. Preparing to leave the ship, he turned to Ben, “I’ll see you back at the clearing. Good luck.”

Ben stood there looking at Jake, obviously trying to decide if he wanted to share with the first mate what was on his mind. Ben shrugged his shoulders and started to speak. “This is difficult since I don’t usually share my feelings.”

“Please continue.”

“Mr. Beecher, I want to thank you for coming back. When I saw you on the stairs in the hold, I thought I was looking at a ghost. I was positive you were dead when you fell into the sea. I knew I’d never see you again. Then when I saw you on the stairs, my mind told me you had to be a ghost; I thought you’d returned to collect the souls of the crew.”

Ben stared across the bay at the distant beach fire. “I want you to know if we survive this, I will spend every waking minute of my life to see you walk the deck of your own ship.” Ben turned back and looked at Beecher, “My thoughts on the subject are very clear, you are our Captain.”

Jake tuned, looking at the shore to hide the tears. After all, it was not proper for a first mate, or a captain of any vessel to show tears. Ben’s comment also made Nani flash in his mind and in that moment, he wondered if he’d be able to leave her and return to sea. However, that was something to ponder at a different time, now was the time to deal with the pirates.

Looking over his shoulder, Jake told him, “Ben, thanks for your kind words. You should understand, I feel everything I’ve done is what any sailor would do for his mates. However, I thank you for what you said. It means a lot to me.”

Jake took a deep breath. “Ben, I also need you to do me a favor. Please take care of the countess. I’m leaving her in your care. Protect her.” Ben nodded in understanding. Jake put his hand on Ben’s shoulder, “OK, let’s finish this. We have our crew to save.” Jake stepped up to the railing and dove into the bay.

Swimming towards the shore, Jake was pleased how his arms and chest felt. Paddling to shore he mused how quickly he’d healed, and how much of his strength had returned. He didn’t know what ‘ol Kekoa had done to him, but it was obvious the old Chief had some major magic up his sleeve. Jake smiled to himself as he remembered since the Chief didn’t have sleeves, it’d be tough to hide anything.

Jake came ashore far enough down the beach in the off chance if any buccaneer was awake, there was no risk of accidentally being seen. Moving across the beach and into the edge of the jungle, Jake remembered the location of one of the “Death’s Plants.” The spot wasn’t too far from the beach, and he headed in that general direction. Stepping into the clearing where he was to meet his crew, he was gratified to have the clouds moving quickly across the sky allowing an almost full moon occasionally showing the way.

Jake found the dangerous plant with no difficulty. He realized there was no way of knowing just how toxic the leaves were and he didn’t want to take chances. Spotting a couple of large leaves on another plant, the first mate pulled them off. Using the larger leaves to cover his hands he picked a few of the smaller leaves off the hazardous plant. Pulling the small leaves off the plant, he noticed a strange, unpleasant smell coming from the poisonous leaves. He hoped the leaves wouldn’t taint the taste of the water so badly the pirates wouldn’t drink it.

Once the precarious leaves were safely wrapped up, he returned to the beach fires. When he was close enough to see the fire dancing on the shore Jake started skirting the white expanse of sand. Creeping along the edge of the jungle he spotted several barrels sitting close to the water’s edge. Before they’d departed the last time, Jake remembered seeing the pirates moving similar kegs out to the ships. He was positive they contained water.

Moving from the secure protection of the trees Jake cautiously crawled to the line of barrels. Finding two of the barrels open, Jake divided the dangerous leaves between each one. Finding a stick resting against one of the kegs, he picked it up and rubbed it to get the sand off. Once it was clean, Jake placed the stick into one of the barrels and started to stir. As he stirred the water, he mused how toxic the brew he was making could be and being worried about wiping the stirring stick was silly. After what he hoped was long enough, he carefully moved the stick to the other barrel and stirred that one.

Satisfied with his concoction, Jake turned towards the safety of the jungle. Jake crept into the surrounding jungle and started looking for a large tree to climb. Once he’d found a suitable tree, he proceeded to climb high enough to be well hidden; but low enough so he could still see what was happening. From his vantage point he could see most of the two fires still burning on the beach and all the drunken pirates. Jake realized it would have been very easy to have killed all of them while they were passed out. However, he hoped the brew worked as well as he hoped, when the other pirates returned, they would drink the water and once they were ill, it would be easy to overpower all of them at the same time.

Jake awoke stiff and sore from sleeping nestled in the crotch of the massive tree. When he started to stir, he felt aches and pains from sleeping in the poor position. Jake decided sleeping in a tree, if he didn’t have to, wasn’t something he wanted to do again. He shimmied further up one of the limbs until he had a perfect view of the beach. So far nobody has moved. He was starting to think perhaps they had already drunk from the kegs, and were now either passed out or ... well, he hoped it wouldn’t be that bad. Finally, he saw movement on the beach. To his delight Beecher saw he was correct about one thing as he watched each man wake up and then set off in search of water.

It didn’t take long before the men who drank the water started being sick. Jake didn’t know if it was from the night before, or from the tainted water they were drinking. However, within a short time, all who drank from the doctored kegs were sick. None of the men seemed to realize what was making them sick. As each pirate awoke, he went to drink water and within a short period, all the pirates were lying sick on the beach.

Jake slipped from the tree and made his way to the clearing where he’d told Ben to take the old crew. Ben had the crew assembled along with the countess and as Jake looked over the men, he realized he’d made an error. Captain Merick was not among the crew. The countess was with them, dressed in pants, and a fetching looking top that was now transparent since it was wet; however, there was no Captain Merick.

Damn!

“Ben,” the first mate explained to his fellow sailor, “I need to return to the ship and find Merick. We can’t just leave him on board for the returning pirates to find.”

Ben extended his hand to stop Jake, “My first thought is what the hell, just leave him; but I know better. You know my feelings about that bastard; however, you need to stay and take care of things here on shore. I’ll go back and find him.”

“Promise me you will not kill him.” The first mate demanded. Ben looked down at the ground for a moment. “Ben, look at me and promise. Please. Trust me, he will receive what’s due to him.”

Ben said, “You know how I feel?” Jake nodded his head. “But I promise I’ll just go back and get him. Where will I find you?”

“Bring him back here, to this field. As soon as I have the men who can’t help us safely tucked away, I’ll come back here.” Ben extended his hand and shook Jake’s. “Be careful,” Jake admonished his shipmate. Ben turned to the countess and said a few words to her Jake didn’t understand. The first mate noticed tears in her eyes and Ben took her in his arms and hugged the lovely young woman. Those of the crew who witnessed this display all made rude noises. Jake commanded them to knock it off.

Turning to the rest of the crew, he addressed them, “I have a place where those of you who won’t be able to help us can hide until we return.” Jake waited a few seconds for his comment to sink in before he continued, “I need all of you to listen. I don’t need any of you trying to be heroes. If you can barely move, and I know some of you are still ill from being on the pirate ship for so long, I can’t use you. I’m telling you and I want you to listen to me carefully. Nobody will think ill of you if you don’t come with me. I need able men with me who I don’t have to worry will slow me down or might still be so sick they can’t continue. Please understand, you will not be helping your shipmates, or me, if you come and become a burden. Do you all understand?”

A few of the men stepped forward indicating they wanted to come with Jake and help him. Two of his fellow crewmates who had not stepped forward were appointed to take the rest of the crew to safety. Kneeling on the sand, Jake drew a map and carefully explained where to find the caves Kekoa and Beecher had found. He explained how the men should enter the hills and the best caves to hide in. The remaining crew members said they understood and would go and wait in the caves for the rest of the crew to return.

Jake noticed Ben made sure some of the crew had retrieved weapons from the room where he obtained his weapon. Several of the crew now carried guns from the ship. Jake told the men who were going off to hide they should take some of the weapons with them. “I don’t think the pirates are going to give us much trouble. You only need to take enough to defend yourselves.” The crew all nodded in agreement.

Jake took the crew members who were still able to fight with him and the others headed off to hide in the hills. When the crew members stepped out of the forest, they found the beach littered with sick or dead pirates. Jake now understood why they had named the leaves the “Death Plant.”

The first mate instructed the crew to pull the dead pirates into the forest surrounding the bay. “Make sure you pull the bodies into the dense underbrush as far as you can. Once you have all the bodies hidden among the trees, cover them with branches. Try to hide them best you can so when the others return it will be difficult for them to find the dead. The better you hide them the more time we have to flee.”

For the next half hour, busy men covered the beach pulling the dead thieves into the forest as far as they could and hiding them. Luckily the few remaining pirates who were still alive were too sick to put up any fight. As a good measure, before Jake’s crew started to hide the dead, they searched the sick pirates for weapons and relive them if they found any.

They dragged the remaining half-dozen pirates back to the stream or helped them stumble there on their own. Eventually Jake’s crew moved everyone to the field meeting area. When the ship’s crew stepped from the forest with the sick pirates, Beecher found Ben and Merick waiting for them. When Merick spied Jake, got to his feet and stormed over to the first mate.