Grim Sully's Treasure
an excerpt

"Bah, Ze capitain, 'e is full of merde!" Phoebe did not know the word, but she could guess its meaning. "If I knew all we were doing was sailing to 'aiti, I would never 'ave come! C'est ridicule!"

"I would govern my tongue were I you, Duvent." MacKenzie emerged from the darkness to the light of the nearby lantern. His black hat was tucked under his red-sleeved arm. Zeke stepped back, nearer to the mast where Phoebe stood.

"Eh bien, but you are not me, Monsieur Ma-ken-zee." Duvent drew himself up to his full height and narrowed his eyes.

MacKenzie merely raised a single eybrow, unimpressed.

"I 'ave every right to complain," Duvent continued. "Ze captain, 'e promised us we were to be swimming in Spanish gold. But now we 'ave changed course, and we 'ave not engaged a single ship since we departed! I demand to know, why is zis?"

"You are in no position to demand anything." MacKenzie's voice remained low in contrast to Duvent's rising volume. "Captain Blackwell makes the orders. I see that the orders are carried out. You follow the orders. That's the way it works, my friend. Nobody is holding a pistol to your head and forcing to stay."

"Do not call me your 'friend'. I am not your friend, monsieur. And c'est vrai, nobody is forcing me to stay. I am staying because I was given a promise. Zat may mean nossing to you, Ecossais, but I 'appen to believe a mans word is 'is bond."

"Hmph. How honorable of you, to be so concerned about the Captain's integrity."

"You mock me, monsieur?"

"I doubt you, Duvent. Your principle concern has rarely if ever been honor."

"Doubt all you wish. Zere are sings I know, more sings zan you are aware. When word begins to spread about what we are really doing 'ere, I am curious to know 'ow ze rest of ze crew will react."

"Do you dare to make a threat to me?" MacKenzie put his hat on his head and gripped the front of Duvent's striped shirt with both hands. His voice lowered to a hiss. "You listen to me, you Acadian worm. Words like that could be construed as mutinous. You say one more such thing and your bloated lead-weighted corpse will be feeding all the fish in Davy Jones' Locker. Understood?" He released Duvent's shirt with a shove.

Duvent straightened himself immediately, and that lascivious grin spread across his face. Phoebe shuddered. MacKenzie eyed him, hands near his sides, ready to react with drawn sword or pistol. Duvent stepped back and, using a pulley and line for balance, he pulled himself to stand atop the rail. He took one glance behind him, and grinned wider still at MacKenzie.

"Do not worry, Monsieur. I will say no more words to you or ze captain at all, unless it is 'au revoir'." And with that, he took a step back and slipped with a soft splash into the waters below.

Zeke began to run toward MacKenzie. "Man over--" but the first mate raised one hand to quiet him.

"He's jumped ship, the fool," he said, shaking his head. "Remain on guard, both of you; I should inform Captain Blackwell of this straight away."