CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lane really enjoyed the feel of the deck this morning. The Princess would climb one wave and then slide back down the other side.
He had resumed his former job of standing on the bow watching the horizon. And, using the Captain’s lens, the telescopic device known to the crew as the eye, he had seen something of Spain. It had been there to their north just a few hours ago.
Lane couldn’t really tell much difference from the coastline he had left back home. This was also very beautiful.
“Lord.” He began to pray. “The Captain said we would be moving to the south now. These Canary Islands he talks about are in that direction. You know the way. In fact, that’s why I am asking you for help again.”
There was a crazy sound in the air. It sounded like a baby crying, then, it was gone.
“That was really strange, Lord. I thought I heard a baby crying.” Lanied attempted to get back to his praying.
There was certainly another sound in the air, like a child crying, but then, the sound was lost. Lane was now able to generalize about the direction.
The sound would come, and then it would go. And, after looking in the direction he thought the sound had come from, Lane thought about using the eye.
After some time, and it wasn’t very long, Lane spotted a smaller vessel in the water. She was floating without sails.
Even with the eye for assistance, Lane could not see anybody on the deck of the other vessel. But, he became certain that the sound of crying was coming from that drifting boat.
The sound would come just as the other vessel would top another wave. But, it would die away whenever the boat would slide down another wave.
Lane turned to find the Captain.
He found Captain Matthew in his quarters, and Lane explained that he had seen the other vessel and heard the crying.
The Captain didn’t speak so much to Lane. As he motioned for Lane to follow. They stopped to alert David at the helm to pay attention. Then, they went to the ship’s bow.
Lane pointed in the direction of the drifting boat and, using the eye, Captain Matthew didn’t take very long to locate the vessel.
The Captain gave the orders that would correct their approach, and soon Lane could see more of the tiny ship. It was really just a boat with a mast.
There appeared to be nobody on that vessel, but there was the constant crying, a clear indication that some child was there. Lane couldn’t see anything like a child.
At a certain point, Tiger went right over the railing, diving into the sea. And, he swam toward the smaller boat.
Everybody on deck was watching Tiger, as he first neared the vessel, then pulled himself over the railing and into the little boat.
Looking back toward the Princess, Tiger yelled to the Captain, “There is a child here, Sir. He seems to be alone. I bet he is hungry!!!!”
Many of the crew gave a shout for joy. They were obviously pleased to see another human life rescued from the waters that could easily kill.
Lane was also happy. “Thank you, Lord.” He went back to praying. “I have noticed that every time I go into a new city you introduce me to somebody willing and able to help me. This cannot be different. Sure, we’re talking about a child. But, he’s a child you already know.”
Many of the deck hands were listening to Lane’s prayer. But, it wasn’t just that. They also went about the business of dealing with the Princess and securing the smaller vessel.
Captain Matthew was paying particular attention.
“Lord. This mission started out as a rescue. Our first thought was to those slaves on the Fabien. But, I see you had other plans. I am happy with this. Show me the way and the place to be, Lord. I am willing to go where you send me.” Lane finished his prayer.
Nearly every man on the Princess acknowledged the Lord. “Amen.”
Was heard from bow to stern.
Lane saw that Tiger was using oars to bring the smaller vessel closer to the Princess. Soon, he’d be alongside. It was also possible to see the child now.
The boy had curly yellow hair, and there was a lot of it. He seemed to be about four years old. And, he had stopped crying.
Lane also noticed that the clothing worn by the child were probably expensive. That meant somebody with gold was probably the child’s parent. A servant would not have such a look.
Also, this boy stood next to Tiger as a boy would stand next to his father. There wasn’t any fear. Lane guessed that the tears from before were due to the child being frightened, not surprising for somebody floating alone upon the sea.
They were aboard a few minutes later, aboard the Princess anyway.
The Captain told his men to secure the smaller vessel for towing. And, this was done without question. A couple men went aboard to search for information about the boat and it’s passenger.
Lane couldn’t understand a word spoken by the child, but he listened to the Captain’s many attempts at communication.
It was David, from the helm, who finally found a few words to guide into figuring out the boy’s native language. This child spoke English.
The Captain wanted to know where the boy was from. It turned out he was from Las Palmas; he was the son of somebody powerful.
It was obvious to Lane, and probably everybody on the deck of the Princess, that this boy’s family had wealth. His clothing spoke to the fact, and so did the tiny sailing vessel.
There didn’t seem to be a reason why the boy was found floating by himself, drifting on the ocean with no adults in the area. There wasn’t anybody else.
Some minutes later and those who had gone to search the tiny ship returned to report they had found maps, charts, and other documents indicating the ship’s home port. She belonged to one of the larger Canary Islands. It was called the GRAN CANARIA.
Lane understood a little Spanish, and that name sounded Spanish to him.
It was a mystery that the boy spoke a language called English; moreover, it was interesting that David seemed to know it.
Lane marked the matter down mentally. He would be talking to David about this English and how he had come to understand the boy’s words.
One of the men brought something for the child to eat. And, David was given a new task. The Captain wanted to know as much as possible about the boy.
There was a need to get this child back to his father, and there were other men able to pilot the Princess. The Captain seemed as though he were about to say something to Lane.
“Is there something on your mind?” Lane invited whatever comment was coming.
The Captain stopped looking at the charts he had been given and spoke. “Nice job, Lane. You may have saved this boy’s life.
Lane knew the saving wasn’t his work. “Let’s give the credit to Heaven, Sir. The Lord put that boy in our path.”
Captain Matthew nodded. ‘I can’t argue that. Let’s give thanks to the Lord. But, I want you back on the bow. Keep me posted over what you see there!!!!”
Lane felt good about life at that moment. “Thank you, Lord. I know that meeting this boy is a part of your plans for me. Thank you for watching over us.”
Pretty soon, Lane was back on the ship’s bow. He had the eye in his hand, but he watching the clouds floating in the sky. There were a lot of them.
He thought back again to the day he had left his home on the way to Joppa. There had been clouds then, too.
That day brought him contact with Captain Matthew, and here he was working for the Captain.
In the city of Joppa, he had met Simon and found a place for himself there. There had been food, clothing, and a place to sleep. He even found somebody who had known his father.
That thought brought pain. Nathan had known his father, and he said he thought his failure to come home was due to, or had something to do with the Romanists.
It was possible that the Romanists did something to his father. And, it was certain they had something to do with Nathan’s present problem.
Nathan was aboard the Fabien; he had been sold as a slave; and, he had been marched down the street like a donkey, or like some other kind of animal.
What if Lane’s father had been sold into slavery, and he had walked naked in the streets, naked and chained to other Jewish people? It wasn’t a pretty thought.
Could the Romanist people be doing this sort of thing to other people, too?
That thought had just passed through Lane’s mind, when Stephan and Tiger showed up.
“What do you see out there?” Stephan asked, but he thought Lane watched the waves and the water.
The sudden question brought Lane back to where he was, and he shook most of the worrisome thoughts from his mind.
His answer was to Stephan, but he was already switching to Tiger for his next question. “I was just thinking about the Fabien. Watching the clouds. Hey, Tiger. What did you do to the rudder on the Fabien?”
Stephan listened for an answer, too.