## Chapter 103: Two Black Thorns?
Arthur stood at the bow, peering through his telescope at the azure expanse of the sea. Beside him, the sailors bustled with activity.
The revamped Beggar’s ship boasted three masts, each manned by six sailors and a petty officer. Their primary duty was to scan the horizon, identify landmarks, and discern any potential threats.
The deck was a hive of activity, with cannons manned by gunners under the command of the gunnery officer, artisans overseen by the quartermaster meticulously inspecting firearms, and a boarding party of twenty-odd marines led by a strike commander and two petty officers.
Tom and Tony, their faces pale, watched the bustling crew with a mix of apprehension and anxiety. Never having set foot on a ship before, the two Scotland Yard detectives felt a distinct unease.
Noticing their nervousness, the young servant assigned by Colonel Fitzroy to attend them rushed over, “Gentlemen, do you require anything?”
Tony, his face green, leaned over the railing, clutching his mouth, “Nothing, I just feel a bit… *ugh*…”
Tom, slightly more composed, scrutinized the servant, “How old are you?”
“Me? Nine.” The young servant, seemingly afraid of being looked down upon, added quickly, “But don’t let my age fool you, I’ve been on board for two years now. When it comes to seafaring experience, I’m even older than those new naval cadets. They’re four years older than me, but they’re useless at everything. They just cause Colonel Fitzroy trouble. I’m much better than them!”
Tom, amused, chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair, “I can’t believe you’re the same age as my son. You’re much stronger than him.”
“Of course,” the young servant boasted with a precocious air, “The key to lasting on the seas is to be strong. Even if you’re weak, you have to eat yourself fat. The ocean doesn’t care. If you die at sea, there’s no coffin, just a toss to the fishes.”
As he spoke, he noticed Arthur beckoning him. The servant rushed over, eager to please, “Sir, what are your orders?”
Despite his young age, he possessed an uncanny ability to discern social hierarchies. He recognized Arthur’s position of authority amongst the three, and observed the captain’s courteous demeanor towards him.
One could call it good judgment, or, less generously, a keen sense of self-preservation.
It wasn’t fair to judge him harshly, though. This was the survival skill of these young lads.
As the closest group to the high-ranking officers, nearly every servant dreamt of catching the captain’s eye and being sent to naval school.
Though the odds of such a meteoric rise were slim, a handful of success stories kept them diligently serving the high-ranking officers.
Arthur asked, “Would you please ask Colonel Fitzroy for a cutlass?”
“A cutlass? You… what are you planning to do?”
Arthur wasn’t shy about his intentions, “According to the information on the Black Thorn, the ship may be carrying seventy to eighty armed men. If we engage in a boarding action, relying solely on the marines may not be enough. So, as a Scotland Yard officer, I intend to join them.”
The servant’s hair stood on end, “Mr. Hastings, you mustn’t joke like that. Boarding actions are deadly! If you’re worried about the number of marines, it’s no problem. If they run out of ammo, there are the sailors. You don’t need to personally get involved.”
Arthur pulled out his pipe and lit it, “Boy, do you have any misconceptions about what being a policeman means? What do you think the law is for?”
“The law?” the servant replied, “Isn’t it to protect people like you?”
The Red Devil, upon hearing this, roared with laughter, clutching his stomach, “Brilliant! Arthur, look at this kid, he has a better understanding than you.”
Tom and Tony, hearing this, burst into laughter as well.
They explained, “Boy, it’s not the law that protects us, it’s us using the law to protect you.”
“Using the law to protect me?” The young servant, with a mischievous grin, countered, “If it protected me, I wouldn’t be here. Please, gentlemen, for the sake of the law, oh wait, there’s no law on the high seas, so for the sake of God, don’t make me uncomfortable.”
Arthur turned back to the boy, patting his head, “You little imp, you’re truly a tough nut to crack. But I can’t blame you. Fine, I won’t push it. I’ll go ask the Colonel myself.”
As he turned, he saw Eld carrying several navy blue uniforms towards them.
He distributed the uniforms to the three, “In naval combat, the worst thing is to stand out. Many Royal Navy officers lost their lives because they wouldn’t take off their shoulder straps and uniforms. That’s why Colonel Fitzroy sent me here, to get you to change. And hey, if things kick off, remember to stay back, or else you’ll get blasted and don’t blame me.”
Arthur, however, was unfazed. He pulled Eld towards him, “Get me a cutlass, and grab some bandages while you’re at it.”
“What are you doing?” Eld asked with a look of concern, “Arthur, don’t be reckless! I know you’re a bit of a swordsman, but practice and real combat are two different things. Just fire your gun from the back during the fight.”
Arthur didn’t argue, simply asking, “I’m not planning to charge onto their ship, but what if they come charging at us?”
“That’s…” Eld pondered for a moment, taking a deep breath, “You’re right! How could I forget that! No, I need to get one for myself too! I’ll go to the armory and grab one!”
Eld scurried off to the deck and had a brief exchange with the quartermaster. Soon, he returned with a set of keys and a pile of weapons, dragging Darwin with him.
“Charles, you’re a coward! You were a doctor, weren’t you? If they dare to charge, you amputate them, all four limbs!”
“Easy for you to say! They’re not going to lie on an operating table like patients. Even with patients, if they haven’t had enough to drink, they’ll struggle like mad. Restraining them on the operating table is no easier than holding down a donkey!”
Eld, unable to win the argument, changed the subject, “Arthur, I got you the knife.”
However, Arthur didn’t immediately take the weapon from Eld’s hand. Instead, he picked up the bandages Eld was carrying under his arm.
He removed his left leather glove, revealing a hand calloused from sword practice, and wrapped the bandages tightly around his palm, layer upon layer.
“What are you doing?” Eld was baffled, “Pre-bandaging? To save time later?”
At that moment, the marine commander, who happened to be passing by, looked at Arthur with a curious expression, stroking his chin.
“You know half-swording?”
“Half-swording?” Eld, knowing the commander was a sword enthusiast, asked, “Wrapping bandages is half-swording? What kind of swordsmanship is this?”
The marine commander ignored Eld, simply smiling and raising an eyebrow, “Young man, half-swording, if not practiced properly, is just a flashy move, and you’ll only end up hurting yourself. Don’t sacrifice your life for the sake of looking cool, it’s not worth it.”
Arthur, hearing this, smiled back, “I’m not an expert, but I should be able to handle a few slave traders.”
“Oh… seems you actually have some skills!” The commander laughed heartily, removing his officer’s sword and tossing it to Arthur, “If that’s the case, use this. You can’t utilize your full strength with a cutlass when half-swording.”
Arthur, without hesitation, took the officer’s sword, drawing it with a clang. The gleaming blade illuminated the stubble on his chin.
“A fine blade.”
The commander grinned, “Now we’ll see if it’s worthy of its wielder.”
As they chatted, the lookout at the top of the foremast suddenly froze, his pupils contracting. He carefully observed through his telescope for a long time before confirming his suspicions, shouting towards the stern, “All hands on deck! Two unidentified ships sighted on the horizon, 15 degrees east-southeast!”
Colonel Fitzroy roared, “Two ships? Sailing together?”
The lookout, using his telescope to confirm once more, hesitated for a moment before replying, “Not likely! They’re too close to each other. Are they not afraid of colliding? And… wait, damn it! What are they doing? It looks like they’ve erected a gangplank between them.”
(End of Chapter)