CHAPTER NINE
Several hours later, Lane approached the harbor again, but he wasn’t alone. Rather, this time some of Simon’s men were with him.
Their plan was simple.
One of them knew Matthew’s schooner. It was called the Palisade Princess. And, if they had any sort of support from Heaven, that ship would be in Joppa.
The men walked in silence, which was a good thing so far as Lane could tell. It gave him the chance to think about things.
He had already made up his mind to take this to whatever place it presented him. Jewish people, and that meant his own people, were on their way to a hard life of slavery.
Lane had prayed that the Lord would not allow it, yet he was thinking that maybe the Lord would.
It was dark now, but there were enough oil lamps on both the ships and the pathways leading around the harbor to light their way. Lane was following at this point, for another man knew where the Princess should dock.
Two other men split off to search for signs of the Jewish slaves. Neither of them were Jewish, but Simon had been sure of their loyalty to him.
Lane decided to trust Simon on this last bit. What interested him, though, was that they needed to find Matthew’s ship.
He had prayed about this already, and it seemed reasonable to make use of the Palisade Princess, if it could be done, to see where the slaves were being taken. They might be able to find out what’s going on here in Joppa. It could be a lot bigger than a local problem.
They had made contact with dock personnel, but that was to be expected, and they had continued from there.
Lane could smell the oil in the lamps, as the flames gave everyone on the path sufficient light to walk. Then, he almost stepped into something wet.
A branch hit him in the face, but it was only his own lack of attention to where he was walking.
After that, maybe ten steps more, and the other man held up his hand to signal a stop in their progress.
“That’s it.” The other man said. “It’s the Princess.”
Lane followed the other man’s finger pointing to see what turned out to be a quiet ship floating on the water.
Looking things over, Lane decided that the Princess wasn’t very big.
But, he saw at least five men around on the deck.
“Hail the boat!!!!” Lane’s companion spoke up in the direction of the Princess.
Those men on the deck turned as one man to face the voice. They were like a flock of birds, in that they moved together.
“Speak your mind!” One of the shipmates invited. He was speaking the local language of Joppa, so it was easy to understand him.
Lane’s companion addressed the boat again. “We’re looking for Captain Matthew. Maybe he could put us to work.”
Lane wasn’t expecting this piece of news. Nobody had said anything about going to sea. And, this was the first time anybody had said anything about the ship’s captain. COULD IT ACTUALLY BE MATTHEW?
“Is that you, Tiger?” This voice came from somebody outside Lane’s view, but it was coming from the ship. And, Lane recognized it.
Tiger stepped out into complete view of those on the Princess. “It’s me Captain. I’m back, and I’m looking for work.”
Captain Matthew came into Lane’s view, and the young man was certain now that this was the same man he had encountered on the road to Joppa.
Captain Matthew addressed Tiger. “We’re putting out to sea in the morning, Tiger. Who’s that at your side there?”
Lane moved into the Captain’s view and the light that came off the oil lamps nearby. “It’s me, Sir. We met on the road to Joppa. I’m still looking for my father.”
Captain Matthew acknowledged Lane. “I remember you, Son. Are you certain you’re ready to test your sea legs?”
Lane had no idea what the Captain meant by this strange phrase, but he didn’t get a chance to answer.
Tiger spoke up for both of them. “Captain. It’s a very unfriendly time for us in Joppa. And, the truth is that we need to go.”
Lane was shocked by Tiger’s words, and there was more than one reason.
In the first place, whatever his thoughts would have been, no matter what his decisions could have got him, Tiger had spoke for both of them. It was already too late to say he wouldn’t go.
“I’ll send a launch for you.” That had come from the Captain. And, the older man was already turning to disappear from sight.
Lane’s other reason for surprise over Tiger’s recent news was that he did find himself wanting to leave Joppa quickly.
How things got to this point, where some unknown dangers existed in this city, it was Lane’s unspoken line of thinking.
He had seen fellow Jews marched down the street on their way to a life of slavery. They were naked, like animals from the field, and the sight wasn’t pretty.
Joppa was a dangerous place. His uncle had told him that. But, now Lane decided to take this night as holding provisions from the Lord.
“Thank you, Lord.” Lane was talking loud enough to be heard. “Your mercy goes beyond what I’m able to see. And, I trust you.”
A few minutes later and the two men were in the launch and on their way to the ship. It was time to depart from Joppa.
The trip across the bay was short, and it felt a little odd, this being on the water and off solid ground. Lane surprised himself in finding enjoyment in the experience.
He let his thoughts drift to his family.
If Jews were being rounded up in Joppa, could it be that his mother and uncle would face the same things in Shiloh? Or, could this be a local problem?
There was one certainty. It brought his mind back now. And, it involved this business of people being made into slaves. The slaves were probably kept on one of these ships in the bay.
If anybody was going to find out where his people were being taken to, it would be due to paying attention to sea traffic right here on this large body of water.
There were ports to the south and, across the sea, there were many more to the north. Just about everything was to be found by spending time on this kind of water.
Tiger had taken the time earlier to explain that there were even waters not connected to this water. It was a puzzle for now.
Lane thought, too, about those things he had left at Simon’s camp. They had left in a hurry and it was all still back there, probably right where he had left it.
He knew that Simon wouldn’t steal from him, but the question was bigger than that. Would he ever come back to Joppa again?
Captain Matthew had told him, during their walk into the city, a man could spend his whole lifetime on the seas.
He sat amid ship and there was time to think to himself. His thoughts turned to ZIBA and the animals back home. It was certain that, even though ZIBA was older by a few years, he had never been to sea.
And he gave some thought to his physical body and how it felt so far on this water.
The waves would certainly be larger on the open sea, and he determined that whatever he was feeling now, whether good or not so good, it would be doubled when they got to the ship.
“Lord.” Lane spoke aloud, and he was surprised by the fact the other men ignored his words. “I’m trusting this is where you would have me be. Please help me to make the most of it.”
Tiger rubbed his chin, and he came back with an admission. “I don’t spend enough time talking to the Lord. You practice is a good example for me.”
To Lane’s amazement, the other men on the launch all said, “Amen.”
He turned to the man closest to him, “You follow the Lord?”
The man had red hair, and his voice was very nasal. But, he spoke.
“They call me David, like your old king.”
The two men shook hands and began to talk about the world, the heavens, and all the things the Lord made available.