Read Skull and Bones for Free Online Page B

from which there wasn't another soul visible on deck other than the helmsman…
        "Jesus wept!" said Norton. "D'you think a piece of paper will save you from pirates? Do you not understand what I have under hatches?" And then, as Fitch steadily ignored him, Norton suddenly displayed a remarkable degree of seamanship: "Mr Mate," he cried to the first officer, "shake out the topsails! Put up the helm and bring this ship about!" He pointed at Walrus: "And steer me clear o' that 'un!"
        His voice rang with command. It was the dominant bark of a man used to being obeyed, and the mate instinctively touched his hat in salute and started to bellow at the hands. But Fitch spat fire.
        "Avast!" he cried, and stamped a foot at Norton and glared up into his eyes. "Slam your trap, you bloody bugger! I don't care what you was before, but don't you by-God-and-all-his- bloody-angels give commands aboard my ship, for I'm cap'n here, and there ain't none other!"
        Thus Fitch and Norton were still arguing when Walrus came within spitting distance and her crew leapt up at Long John's command, gave a cheer, and commenced hurling grapnels to bind the two ships together. Led by Long John himself, they came roaring over the side, taking command of Venture's Fortune in a matter of seconds.
        It was incredibly easy. Not a blow was struck or a grain of powder burned other than that which went into the air to terrify the West Indiaman's crew, of which there were only twenty foremast hands, who'd not been stood to arms and were thus empty-handed in the face of John Silver's thirty- two, who between them bore enough pistols, cutlasses, muskets and pikes to equip a small army, and who moved with practised speed: some to guard the prisoners while others - led by Allardyce and Israel Hands - went below to search the ship.
        It was a sweet, clean capture, and the only injury to any man on either side - to the hilarity of Silver's men - was a broken leg suffered by one Dusty Miller, a notoriously clumsy seaman who'd fallen badly as he swung aboard the prize on a line from the mainyard.
        "Who's cap'n?" cried Silver, stumping across the quarterdeck to where his men had herded the ship's officers. He reached up to his shoulder to pet the big parrot that had fluttered back with wide-beating wings, after flying aloft as she always did when there was fighting. Silver was grinning in triumph, which turned to instant amazement as a small, thick- bodied man among the prisoners started yelling and waving his hands in fury.
        "I, sir!" he cried, trying to push aside the firelocks aimed at him by Silver's men.
        "Huh!" said Silver. "Let the bugger through" and Captain Fitch stamped forward to stand looking up at Long John Silver, who towered over most men let alone one only five feet tall. The sight was greeted with laughter from the crew, which was deeply unfair to Fitch, who despite being unarmed, and facing death for all he knew, was fearlessly brave, and told Silver off something ferocious.
        "I'm Fitch," he cried. "Cap'n of Venture's Fortune with cargo and supercargo bound for London. And I may not be touched, God damn-your-eyes, sir! You may not lay a finger on me! For I sail with protection, sir! Protection from Sir Wyndham Godfrey, Governor of Upper Barbados, and which Protection…"
        "Clap a hitch, you bloody dwarf!" cried Long John, but Fitch persisted, stabbing a finger up at him and shouting until finally Silver drew a pistol, cocked it, and shoved it into Fitch's belly.
        "See here, mister," he said, "either you pipe down or I give fire. I don't mind which, so please your soddin' self!"
        "Bah!" said Fitch, but he shut up.
        "Good," said Silver. "Now what's this about blasted protection? What're you talking about?"
        "A Certificate of Protection of Free Passage from Sir Wyndham Godfrey!" said Fitch. Then he lowered his voice: "Protection from gentlemen