Pirates of the Storm (Stranded In Time Book 1) by Fletcher Best Page A

but I
shall not be one to test that.”
    “That’s fine, Captain, but with this
mask, I might be able to do something to slow down or disable those
ships so we can escape.”
    “What do you have in mind?” the
Captain asked with curiosity.
    “I’m not sure yet, but I’d
like to take a swim around the ship to see what the options might
be. Those Spanish ships would be pretty similar in design as
the Wandering Wench , would they not?”
    “Aye,” the Captain nodded, “They have
more guns and are thicker-hulled, but otherwise they are much the
same.”
    “Good,” Jeff replied, “If you’ll
excuse me, I’ll go take a look at the ship in the water and see
what I can come up with.”
    “Be off , then,” Coxen said with a
wave of his hand.
    Jeff walked across the deck to the
rail and began to climb down the cargo net. “Where ye be goin’,”
Crabtree asked, just before Jeff’s head disappeared below the
rail.
    “I’m going to look at the ship in the
water to see if there’s a way to disable the Spanish
ships.”
    “I’m afraid that be a waste o’ time
Mr. Greene. There’s no way we’d get a longboat close enough to do
anything before we was blown out o’ the water.”
    “I’m not thinking of going in a boat.
I’m thinking about swimming to them.”
    “Yer out o’ yer mind!” Crabtree
exclaimed.
    “Perhaps, but I think it’s worth a
try,” Jeff replied as he reached the end of the cargo
net.
    “Suit yerself,” Crabtree said as he
turned away from the rail.
    The sun was getting low as Jeff
entered the water. He swam along the hull, looking for some sort of
vulnerability. He first thought about drilling or punching holes in
the hulls, but quickly realized that it would be next to impossible
to do with hand tools without being discovered. Seeing the keel, he
next thought of somehow attaching something to it to create drag,
but discarded that option as being unreliable and difficult to do
without scuba gear. As he swam around to the stern of the ship, he
placed his hand on the rudder to steady himself as he stared down
the length of the hull, searching for an idea. The rudder shifted
back and forth slightly in the water and suddenly it came to him.
Jeff excitedly swam around to the side of the ship and called up to
the deck, “Mr. Crabtree!”
    A moment later, Crabtree leaned over
the rail. “Aye?”
    “Is that broken mop handle from my
fight with Harrison around somewhere?”
    “Aye, it be in the fire wood
box.”
    “Would you be so good to get it and
throw it down to me?”
    “Aye,” Crabtree said as he backed away
from the rail. A minute or so later, he returned with the mop
handle and tossed it down to Jeff.
    “Thanks!” Jeff said, swimming back
toward the stern of the ship. Crabtree simply shrugged and returned
to his duties.
    When he once again reached the rudder,
Jeff sized up the broken mop handle to the space between the rudder
hinges. He gently slid the splintered end of the handle into the
space and tested the rudder movement. There was no longer any play
in the rudder. He pulled the handle back out and swam back from the
rudder. “Mr. Crabtree!” he shouted.
    Crabtree appeared at the rail, looking
annoyed. “Aye?”
    “I’d like to look at the movement in
the rudder. Would you turn the wheel to steer to
starboard?”
    “Aye!” came the gruff reply. Jeff
watched as the rudder turned in response to the wheel. “Good! Now
back the way it was,” he called up to the deck. The rudder returned
to the starting position and Jeff swam over and slid the handle
into the hinge space. “Now to starboard again!” he yelled. This
time nothing happened. Just to be sure, Jeff yelled once more, “To
starboard, Mr. Crabtree!”
    A few moments later, Crabtree appeared
at the rail. “What have ye done?! The wheel no longer turns to
starboard!” Crabtree growled.
    “Good!” Jeff replied as he swam back
over to the rudder.
    “Good?!” Crabtree screamed, “Ye have
disabled the ship!