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Stubby rose to his feet. The words were too important for him to speak while sitting. ‘A big ol’ wave.’ He raised his hand high over his head, and tiptoed. ‘A wave. Jumped ’cross the boat and reached for me, just reached out and— Then I was—’ His words became faster. ‘I grabbed with my toes to the deck because my hands was full of water. Capt’n pulled my shirt, but couldn’t hold me. He seized me and a spar and fought that wave—bigger’n two ships and a house. The monster came back.’ He made clawing motions. ‘Capt’n, he squeezed on to me.’ Stubby made a choking face, with his tongue out. He collapsed back into the chair. ‘The wave—it were really angry ’cause it couldn’t pull us overboard or drown us while we was standin’ and just slapped Capt’n hard into the spar.’ Stubby’s adoration for Ben shone from his eyes. ‘Capt’n is stronger ’n sea devils.’
‘You able to get out of your clothes by yourself?’ Warrington asked Ben.
Ben nodded at the same time Stubby answered for him. ‘Capt’n had to have Gidley pull his shirt and Gidley even had to put dry trousers on him. I’m supposed to be watching him now—Gid says—see if Capt’n goes belly up before the storm finishes, but I don’t think he’s going belly up. Capt’n still holdin’ to all his fingers—even if some of them’s more crooked than they’re supposed to be. He’s not missing any halves like Gidley or quartermaster. Gidley said he bit his own fingers off because they was on his nervous side—and he says I get on his nervous side, but I don’t think he’s going to bite my fingers off because he says I’m wormy and he don’t like worms.’
‘Stubby—put your hand over your mouth and hold your lips shut.’ Ben’s voice rasped in the air. He closed his eyes.
‘You do look like you’ve been mopped around the deck.’ Warrington moved closer, studying his brother.
‘I’ve moved across the ship on my backside before and I dare say I’ll do it again. Best way to check for splinters I know.’
‘You find any?’
Ben’s lips twitched, but he took a moment to find the strength for words and open his eyes. ‘Gidley gave me a scant spoon of laudanum. He said he’s saving the rest in case someone gets hurt.’
Stubby looked at Warrington and the child’s voice became a loud whisper. ‘Gidley told me about the demons of the deep afore. I know it was them. Capt’n said no. Said a mermaid sent the wave because she wanted to meet him ’cause he’s so manly.’ He cocked his head. ‘You think a mermaid can make waves do that—or you think it was a spirit tryin’ to swallow me whole?’
‘Captain Ben Forrester,’ Warrington said. ‘You’re filling his head with nonsense.’ Then he turned to Stubby. ‘It was just a wave and no spirit or mermaid.’
Ben’s eyes were shut. ‘It’s not nonsense,’ he muttered. ‘It may not be truth, but it’s not nonsense. It’s a yarn and we seamen spend much time on yarns.’
‘Stubby...’ Warrington turned to him. ‘Don’t believe anything anyone on this ship says but me, unless it is something you see with your own eyes.’ He stared at Stubby. ‘And even if you see it yourself, on this ship, you will check with me to see it is true.’
‘I saw the wave reach for me.’ Stubby’s chin quivered and the purpling on his face seemed darker. Warrington’s throat closed. Stubby was scarcely bigger than Jacob. Warrington put his hand on Stubby’s shoulder, resisting the urge to pull him into his grasp as he would have his son.
‘It was a big hand.’ Stubby pushed free and showed the actions with his own arm and fingers. ‘Reaching out to pull me to the bottom of the sea.’
Warrington watched the boy. ‘You’ll have to learn not to believe sailors’ tales.’
‘Why not?’ Ben’s eyes were shut. ‘Mermaids are truly handsome. Sometimes they leave seaweed behind, though, and they don’t always smell pleasant.’
Warrington met Stubby’s eyes and then shut his own while frowning and shaking his head.
But Stubby spoke to Ben. ‘Do they make mermaids in my size?’ he asked. ‘I hope to see one ’fore long.’
* * *
Melina slept sitting, with her back against the wall, and one hand clasped over her fisted other one. She woke when the pressure of a foot sinking into the pallet jostled her.
