Hornswoggled

Smiling for the first time in a long while, Captain Nicosia Musing gloated about her victory.  “It’s been weeks since we’ve laid eyes on that ship and now finally she’s ours for the taken. That stow-a-way boy had better be right in his claim about a treasure map be aboard.”

First mate, Grigori, indulged the captain even though he had little tolerance for the boy. Often he would say, “For the love of Pete, Cap’n, the clumsy swab hasn’t no sea legs.”

A sudden loud crash came across the deck as Pada, the stow-a-way, knocked over a stack of rum barrels with something in his grasp.”Cap’n! Cap’n! Look what I be gotten.”

Visions of the glorious motherlode danced in her head as Nicosia took the cloth. She would be known as the richest and most feared pirate in history. “Arr! Shiver me timbers chap! Ye be right on target. Give no quarter says I!”

Pada eyes widen as fear began to take hold. He’s never killed a man before but figured today is as good of day as any if he’s to remain on the ship. He tried to convince himself that it wasn’t so bad. Sure, the work was hard but he always went to bed with a full stomach and dry warm blankets.

With a sword in one hand, a gun in other Captain Nicosia took only a moment’s notice to weigh the boy’s odds.  “Ah, not to hang the jib with the likes of I swab! I’ve no tity fer ye.”

It was a slaughter on board the captured ship, even though most of the crew where either dead or dying from water and food spoilage. Grigori enjoyed this part the most. Murder is his passion and he usually took his time to slowly torture his victims. He’d delight in immense pleasure out of their blood soaked screams. But this time he took none for granted as the captain would surely run him through and sail right away.

The map lead Nicosia and her small person crew to an island off the coast of Lisbon.  The beauty of it almost haunted her. “After we collect the booty, splice the main brace says I!”

The voices of the crew agreed unanimously, “Aye!”

Finding the buried treasure posed no issue whatsoever. Both the captain and Grigori have been on many quests. The problem they encountered was in their predicament. They fell into a camouflaged hole in the path almost four meters down. They’d been set up.

Finding themselves surrounded by bamboo spears, no doubt tipped with poison, neither dared to make any sudden movements knowing the trigger is likely hidden in the sand below their feet. “Cap’n, I swear I’ll blow the man down if me gets out alive.”

“Aye, no one hornswoggles the like’s o me!  Now handsomely slither left.”

“Ahoy mates!”

Looking up, both Nicosia and Grigori couldn’t believe what they saw. Pada smiling down at them like rats in a cage. “Ye both be worth me weight in gold. That there’s a gibbet cage fer two, courtesy of the Royal Navy.  Ye be the motherlode of all bounties ye are the most wanted pirates of all land and sea.”

Captain Nicosia Musing and first mate, Grigori were captured, convicted, and sentenced to death by order of Queen Anne herself. Pada lived the rest of his days as one of the wealthiest men in world.