The magic yellow stone - book 8 -Tom and Francis Drake fight the Armada - 3.

Chapter One - Meeting with Francis Drake. Tom got command on the "Devon".

Once there was an English boy named Tom, 16 years old. He was thin and tall, but with strong muscles.

His hair was brown and cut short. His eyes were blue. His face showed a dreamy expression, although he was a bright and clever boy.

He had a sister named Helen. She was 15 years old. Her hair was blond and long and her eyes were blue like her brother's. She was nearly as tall as her brother. She was nice but not beautiful.

Kind-hearted, she loved her strange brother.

They went to visit Kent, South England with their parents on a tour.

They went on a tourist-guided tour together with the other group members. Upon arriving in Kent, they met with an English tourist bus. After everyone had introduced himself to the English-speaking guide, the guide introduced himself as Henry, a strong man in his forties.

The bus took them on a tour of Kent, a region south of London.

At midday, they stopped for a meal in an English restaurant.

Tom was one of the first tourists to finish his meal, so he went outside, found a tree, and sat to rest under it.

Wanting to rest, he looked around and remembered the yellow stone covered with dust in his pocket.

He took it out and cleaned it.

Suddenly, he felt a strong wind taking him away.

When the wind stopped, he opened his eyes and, to his surprise, found himself aboard a sailing ship, the "Golden Hind".

When he looked around, amazed, he heard a harsh voice asking him who he was.

Looking back, he saw a red-headed officer.

"I'm," he began. "Is this the "Golden Hind?"

"Yes, boy, and who are you?"

"I am Tom on a tour to Kent,"

"Very interesting. I'm from Kent and we are not there. We are aboard the "Golden Hind". I'm her captain.

"Then you must be the famous Francis Drake,"

Laughing shortly, he said, "I'm really Francis Drake of Kent, and I'm her captain, but still, not a famous one,"

"Then you will be one of the greatest buccaneers and pirates with the permission of our beloved queen, Elizabeth I."

Drake looked at him amazed, "We meet again first officer Tom?"

"Yes sir,"

Francis Drake looked at him for a long time,

A question, "where are we bound on this voyage? "

"To The west indies", "Amazing, he said," you will serve for now as a sailor here, "

"Not at all, captain, I have the title and experience of the first officer. I got it from Vasco da Gama's hands,

And you gave me the title of the first officer on our last voyage

"Indeed, so I confirm it but the other ships sailing after us have their first officer so do I,"

"I think better check the "Devon, there"

At that moment he got a signal from the "Devon".

The other ship asked for a captain. Reporting of both her captain and her first officer was seriously ill.

Drake sent a message to the "Devon" I'm sending you a replacement, A Captain Tom, he seems young, but he is experienced, obey him as you would obey me. come near to let Captain Tom be transferred to you."

"It will be good to have an experienced fighter aboard one of our ships, congratulation on your promotion to be a captain, you saw me as a captain, I'm sure you will be successful as a captain with the help of our sick captain, learn as much as you can quickly, the two officers would not be able to help you much, all depends on your ability to function as a captain."

Tom was transferred to the "Devon" who encountered scorn and laughing.

Turning to the crew and getting out a paper he said formally.

"By our beloved queen Elizabeth the first and her representative Captain Francis Drake, I assume command on this our English ship, replacing the sick captain Edward.

Hereby I appoint the second officer to be our first officer and our third officer to be the second officer."

Finishing reading his appointment he said to the new first officer, "Assume your duties as the first officer and follow our flagship."

Then he went to the Captain's cabin finding him very weak, showing him Francis Drake's appointment, then had him and the old first officer transferred to the sickbay to be treated by the surgeon.

Coming back on deck he ordered the helmsman to sail after the "Golden Hind", sending a short signal, that he assumed command without troubles, "although some sailors seemed to reject me, I am going to teach them a swift lesson."

He saw the leader of some rebels who didn't accept his authority.

Calling the leader to him he got refuse.

"What is your name?" he asked him, but got resentment.

"Do you think that I'm too young to be a captain, I commanded 2,000 horsemen,"

A laugh. And scorn.

"And a great experience in fighting in battles,"

"I don't believe you," the leader said with contempt, and I'm not going to submit to a lying child,"

"your name, rebel, I'm going to teach you a swift lesson, give him a cutlass, we will fight now,"

The man laughed in contempt. "I'll kill you in a minute, Captain."

Taking a cutlass from the nearby railing he ran towards Tom, who took out his long cavalry sword and pose to stop him.

The man, a brute attacked him brutally but was amazed to feel his cutlass stopped by Tom who by twisting his hand caused the cutlass to fly from the rouge's hand.

Amazed he saw the tip of Tom's sword on his neck.

"yield or die, I've no time for a stupid and coward rouge,"

The man shocked by Tom's swift action yielded immediately.

"Boatswain takes him to custody, I'll decide later of his fate.

Turning to the other 4 rebels, he added "arrest them too, boatswain,"

The 5 men were led, tied to a cabin in the bottom of the ship and a guard was put near their cabin, then Tom said quietly "assume your duties, men."

The men cowered and amazed accepted Tom's command.

The officers looked at him with amazement.

"How did you learn all this, Captain?" one of them asked.

"Never mind, the rebels will be transferred today to the "Golden Hind" to be tried by Captain Francis Drake,"

"Which means a Death sentence to all of them," said the first officer," "Yes," said Tom grimly.