A Tale on the High Seas

Once upon a time there was a captain named Rosie. Now Rosie was a girl with spunk and sharp brains to back her up. Rosie was only 13- years-old when she first sailed on her ship, the Petunia. Ah, the Petunia, that lovely twelve-foot-long ship with snow white sails that blew in the wind. Captain Rosie was a sight to behold, with her fire red hair and piercing green eyes, known for her quick temper and height. At the age of only 18, Rosie stood only at five feet one inches. But, don’t let the height fool you; with five years of sailing under her belt, she could fight any pirate that dared try to mess with her ship.

Rosie and her crew of twenty men and women had docked port in Winoka about two weeks ago. It was here they sold their wares of Chinese silk they had received from Hong Kong about five weeks ago. Rosie rolled her eyes slightly as she waited for the merchant to stop chattering on about the latest gossip in town and give her the money he owed her. “And a fine silk ye have this sail, Captain Rosie. Are ye going to be putting some wind in your sails afore long?” Tilting her head back, Rosie blew out a loud breath, “As soon as I can, Tom, now will you up and pay me? I’m growing old just standing here, and I still have to pick up one more sailor for my crew.” Tom nodded his head as he gave Rosie her money, “Alright, Captain, I meant no disrespect in making you wait so long. Here’s your money and may the wind be ever in your sails.”

Rosie walked off towards the inn where her crew was waiting for her and probably having a nice drink of the old rum. Rosie smiled to herself. She liked a cup every once in a while but she never drank as much as most of the men who came to the inn. With a lot of new sailors in port, Rosie quickened her pace. It was well-known that Winoka was a fighting port, and Rosie did not want to see her crew land themselves in jail. When she rounded the corner to the inn, a young body rammed into her and sent her flat on her back. Rosie rolled to her side and drew out her sword, her face as red as her hair. “Why of all the low-down, no good, dirty rotten scum, I’ll have your hair for a broom, and your teeth for a necklace. Draw your sword!” As the young body quickly made its way to its feet, Rosie put her sword away and shook her head, “You nothin’ but a boy. Why you land me on my back boy?”

The boy rubbed dirt from his brown eyes and smirked slightly. “Well, had you been watching where you were going, you wouldn’t have landed on your back.” Rosie sputtered slightly, “Why I never - what impertinence! Come here boy and let me slap you one good for addressing Captain Rosie like that.” The boy smiled and when he did, a dimple appeared on the right side. “Captain Rosie aye, what are you captain over, the dinner table?” Rosie was fit to be tied now and was about to strangle the young lad. She gripped her sword handle tightly and said through clenched teeth, “You just come with me and I will show you what Captain Rosie is Captain over.”

On the way to the ship, Rosie made a quick stop at the inn and told her crew to meet her at the boats in ten minutes. With the young lad walking beside her, Rosie made her way over to the Petunia. The young lad would not leave her in peace though. To Rosie it seemed that every couple of steps a new question would leave the boys mouth. “So how did someone as short as you become a Captain?” Rosie kept walking as she mumbled to herself,” Hasn’t anyone ever told you you’re rude?” The boy grinned slightly, egging her on, “Yeah, but not today. Has anyone ever told you you’re short?”

Rosie was about to give the boy a tongue lashing when the Petunia caught her eye. Rosie stopped and gazed proudly at her ship. “There she is lad, my pride and joy.” The boy looked in the direction Rosie was looking and then looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. “That’s it?” Rosie looked down at the boy, who was, much to her satisfaction, still shorter than her. “What were you expecting, canons ablaze with gun fire, maybe a few skulls on the masts, perhaps a man with a hook and wooden leg?” The boy cocked his head slightly, and then turned his back on the ship with one word, “Boring.” Rosie rolled her eyes and then walked towards the boats. The boy followed her and then waited as the crew arrived to manage the boats.

Rosie allowed the boy to sit in her boat as the crew rowed them across. As they rowed, Rosie studied the boy. About three feet and maybe three inches, the boy was all leg and skinny. Aside from his brown hair and slightly high voice, the boy was kind of cute to Rosie, but she would never tell him that. Once on the ship, Rosie took the boy on a tour and his boring turned into amazing and oh boy. His eyes got wide as Rosie showed him the tiller. Upon seeing this, she offered to let him take it in his hand and spin it a few times. The boy needed no second bidding but grabbed the tiller and started turning for all he was worth.

“Captain is ye ready to set sail now?” One of Rosie’s crew members had come up behind her and asked the question. Rosie looked at the boy and then turned to answer the sailor, “Half a second Peter and we will row this lad back to shore, then we will sail the seas.” The boy heard what Rosie said and let the tiller slip from his grasp, his face the picture of injured innocence, “But I don’t want to go back, I like it here. I want to go sailing with you and the crew.” Captain Rosie waved her hand as she adjusted her hat that was slightly too big for her head. “Nay, lad, tis out of the question. You had better be off to your mum and dad.” The boy narrowed his eyes. “Why do you keep calling me lad? My name is Canon and I want to stay here.” Rosie narrowed her eyes too, but her hat slipped over her face and she had to push it back up again. “And I said you going back lad, so,” and she hooked her thump towards shore, “back you go.”

Canon shook his head but before he could answer, another crew member came towards Rosie, and his gait was quick. “Captain, just got word that pirates were seen about two leagues back. Since we are the only ship in the harbor that is ready to set sail, should I tell the men to set sail and run the scum down?” Rosie forgot about Canon as she rushed to the main deck bellowing out orders, “Come on me beauties, stir your lazy stumps and shift oars. Quick me hearties, your mothers may have loved you but pirates don’t and neither do their canons. Quicks the word and sharps the old action. Let’s see some lovely blisters on those hands and some sweat on those brows. Pull, pull those ropes I say. Pull as if there is gold on the rope. Winkie, I told you to pull, not to give a little tug, pull I say, or tis the sharks for you! Pull, crew, pull!”

The Petunia launched into full gear and Rosie was at the stern guiding her ship into outer waters. It was about night time when Rosie realized that the boy was still on the ship. She banged the mast head hard but quickly blew on her hand to take away the pain. She gave the tiller to one of her men and then made her way down to the sleeping decks. On her way, Rosie saw the boy talking to one of her men, namely, Winkie. The reason Winkie was called Winkie was because when he was born, his right eye was always weeping out water and so he was always winking his eye, trying to clear it.

Rosie smiled as she listened to Winkie tell one of his stories about his eye. Winkie was leaning up against the mast head smoking his pipe. “Yes Sir, Captain Canon. So, there I was sitting up in the crow’s nest staring at the sun and trying to not look away.” Canon swiped his brown hair to one side and smiled up at Winkie, “And you really believed that if you looked at the sun long enough it would dry up the water in your eye?” Winkie nodded his head, “Oh, yes sir, tis a proven fact the sun is the hottest heat on the earth. Now, where was I? Oh yes, so the captain put me on watch about midday and I was just sitting up there looking at the sun. Let me tell you what Captain, if you ever stare at the sun for more than a few seconds, you will go blind. Why, I must have stared til all the water in my eyes turned to tears.” Canon by this time was laughing so hard, he had to sit down on the ship’s deck or else he might have fallen overboard.

Rosie came over then and slapped Winkie on the back. “Yes sir, you surely will. I had to let ol’ Winkie off for the rest of the day; he couldn’t see a thing, let alone the pirates that had been trailing us for more than a couple of leagues.” Canon regained control of his composure and then faced Rosie,” So, captain, it looks I’m part of the crew now?” Rosie narrowed her eyes, “Only until we run the pirates down and then it’s back to port with you. You can bunk in the second mate’s cabin until we dock, but don’t think this is permanent.”

The next morning was a bright and sunny day. The sea smelled like salt and the winds were blowing in a gentle breeze. Rosie stretched in her doorway and was just about to make it down to the mess hall when she stopped and gazed at Canon. The young boy had put on a pair of boots that were twice his size and an overly large hat on top of his slicked back hair. He wore two pistols in a belt that he was steadily pulling up and a short sword worn at his hip. Along with all this get up, he had traded his worn-out street clothes for the garb of a second- in- command mate.

Rosie furrowed her eyebrows and was about to say something when Canon held up his hand and made his way towards her. Without saying a word, he walked right up to Rosie and said without hesitation, “My name is Captain Canon, and I’m part of the crew now.” Rosie waited for about a minute and then motioned for him to join her in her cabin. Once in there, she poured two cups of rum and handed one to Canon. “Well, I guess I can’t argue with that. Forward the buffs, Captain Canon.” Canon raised his glass, “Take no prisoners; show no mercy.” Rosie raised her glass as well and toasted with Canon. “Welcome aboard the Petunia, Captain Canon. Now what say you to sailing the seven seas?” Canon’s eyes sparkled with excitement, “I say, let’s go, Captain Rosie!”