I was wanted at Bergen against the Dutch thirty year ago, and there I was—as witness my finger and thumb.
Very well, then; here is the start of the affair.
Mr. Don Spaniard could not keep a strong hand on the pirate people himself over in South America, so he comes to England to hire ships and men to go out and help clean his coasts of those pests. Sir James Houblon and some other merchants strike a bargain with Mr. Don Spaniard, and fit out the Charles the Second and the James.
I was lying alongshore getting my mind ready to sign with Master Brake on the Wave when I heard this Spanish affair talked about in the “Pig’s Head”, Bristol. As I say, Bill May is never too old to fight on a good side, so I made for the docks straightway and offered myself to Mr. Gibson, master of the Charles the Second. An old Navy man he was, and knew me in the past, so he gave me his hand and the rating of quartermaster.
Henry Every[4] was first mate under Captain Gibson, and Mr. Gravet was second mate. A new man to me was Every, but a pleasant, merry one, about forty years old. Not even, though, in his mind. Why he would stand by me while I was at the whipstaff[5] and make me laugh like to throttle myself at the quips that came from him as shot from a well-greased ten-pounder. But a minute later he would be cursing the sea, ships, sailormen and his own hard luck. Time and again he said to me—
[4] Old spelling for Avery.
[5] Helm.
“I’m a man of fortune, and my fortune I’m going to make.”
Queerlike, he spoke, and queerlike I took it. But I never dreamed he was meaning to do a mischief to make his fortune.
Born for the sea he was, and knew a ship like you know the palm of your hand. Hard, too, he could be; I have seen him knock a man to the deck and never leave off laughing.