Jack: Book One in the Trilogy, the Battle Begins

"What in the Devil?" Part 50

"Hello thar Master Whittemore! What are you doin' so far from shore, sir? Going fishin'?" asked Jack cheerily, slapping Master Whittemore on the shoulder. Master turned and his mouth hung wide open.

"What in the devil! Boys! What are you doing here? How did they ever allow children to sign on for this sorry adventure? I cannot believe it! I'll never be rid of either of you now!"

Jack laughed, saying, "Nope. You're stuck with us now!"

Jack reached over and shook master's hand heartily.

I said it was Jack's idea that we go to sea after I had told him master was quitting his calling for teaching. I said we followed him to and from the docks and found the ship he had signed on with, and we simply signed onto the same schooner.

"But why do you remark that it's a sorry adventure?" I asked.

"You crazy boys – we've got to get this ship turned around back to the harbor. This here boys is a slave ship - a real slaver whose captain and crew hide their real purpose in the port when the public and customs people are sniffing around. You signed for a ship on her way to hell and back. You crazy boys. Got to turn it around."

"Too late now, Master Whittemore, we're twenty miles out and the captain'll never turn it around. Besides, we wouldn't leave you alone now anyway, would we Jeremy? We want to be with you Master. That's why we came, right Jeremy?"

"Boys, be serious. This here ship is likely going to Africa or Cuba or both before we're through. It's extremely dangerous for you. You have no idea what this is about! Don't let anyone hear you talking about what I just told you. It's not safe for you to know this. You could disappear overboard in the middle of the night and no-one will say you weren't washed over. Take it from me, I've journeyed three long years on slavers. Keep your own counsel. Keep your thoughts to yourself about what this ship is about or ... or ... you'll be a sleeping in the deep."

"But we thought the last place we'd see you on was a slaver," Jack said. "I'd have never signed on to a slaver! Why a slaver?"

"It's my way of giving back something that I took from them when I was a mate and a preacher on similar vessels in the mid-fifties and even one cruise on this ship. 'Twas known then as the Diana – a criminal slaver. I've come to set up a new church on the sea where I intend to disavow my past preaching that slavery was a blessed thing. No this time will be different – I'll tell the crew the truth ... I'll tell them that we're doing the work of the devil. That's why it'll be so dangerous for you. You cannot be seen talking in private with me."

"Master you can't tell them that. If this be a slave ship they'll dump you over the side!" I said.

"Yeah, that's crazy talk," said Jack.

"They will have to commit murder then if they're going to shut me up for I intend to give my first sermon this Sunday two days hence," Master whispered. "You boys, under no circumstances, should let anyone aboard know that you know me. Keep your distance lads. Stay away from me. And keep your eyes and ears open. It is a violation of American and international laws of the sea to transport slaves so keep a good mental record of what you learn. And act as though you care hide nor hair if they're transporting rum or Negroes - at least until you get back to Charleston. Then you might file a complaint with the federal authorities against the owners and crew of this ship. And if I turn out to be missing, it won't be because I got washed overboard, believe you me. It will be because I was pushed over. I will write you a letter to that effect. Keep it to yourselves until the time is right."

"Master, you're not thinking right," said I. "You can't give such an abolitionist sermon on this ship if it is a slaver - that would be sheer craziness. The captain won't allow you to talk the crew into not doing their duty. You could be hung for disobeying him on the high seas, especially seeing that he will say you were causing a mutiny. Don't do it sir," I said.

"A man has to do what he has to do," Master Whittemore said. "And I have to do this. But tell me boys, why? I don't get it. You never wanted me in Charleston as your teacher. Why all of a sudden are you following me across the ocean?"

I replied, "We were always fighting against you but we saw a different person the day you gave your quitting speech. On that last day the class saw something good about you they really hadn't seen before. So I told Jack and we decided we had better go on your ship as any other because we were going to sea anyway. At least we can all watch out for one another."

"'Tis a dangerous enterprise you young fools have found yourself engaged in. Don't slip up and don't, I repeat, don't let on that you know me. Now go and let's have no familiarity with one another unless it be late at night here on deck or until we reach land."

"But what's the point of giving a sermon against slave trading when everyone on this bucket except us will just laugh at you. They will all be paid handsomely for their dirty work," I said. "There's no use trying to convert these fallen souls. They're already dead men doing dead men's work."

"The word must be spoken and then they cannot hide from their guilt and they won't have a rubber-stamp preacher anymore to feed their delusion that it's a valiant thing to help build the slave society. They're expecting a sermon that will encourage them in their evil deeds because that's the evil message I used to give on different slavers on the high seas."

Together over the next hour we silently contemplated what had happened and we were just now realizing the big mistake we had made coming aboard this ship. And big trouble loomed on the dark horizon. The moon had descended below it. I began to wish I was back home in my bed and that I had not listened to Jack. We could not turn around now. It was at least a four-month commitment.

The big three-mast schooner headed deeper into the silvery Atlantic, our souls merging with the infinite as the ship's bow slowly rose up on the port side and fell to starboard. We feared for Master Whittemore.

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End of Book 1 in the Trilogy, "Jack"

Jack: Book 2 in the Trilogy is now available on Wattpad.

Jack: Book 3 is being written. Individual chapters will appear soon.

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https://www.amazon.com/Gary-L.-Dorion/e/B003HMGKV6