The Great Battle

The Great Battle Part Three
I found myself standing on the deck of a huge pirate ship and surrounded by the likes of boys I had never seen before. They were all completely clothed in pirate attire, eye patches on some and crimson scarves tied around their heads. Wooden swords were sheathed in their scabbards with gold encrusted eagles as the crest. I was standing in rank when I heard my name called by an old crusty sea dog of a captain. He had one good leg and the other leg was made of wood. He came up to me and asked, "Where have you been all day?" he shouted.
I was sure that he was talking to me. He was in my face shouting. His breath smelled of drink and Tobacco. The others didn't look my way but stood fast in rank maintaining their composure.
"You mean me?" I asked.
"Yes, you spineless dog! We have a town to take and I guess you overslept? Is that it boy?" shouted the Captain.
"No!" I replied.
"Okay, I give up. You want to tell me where you've been or do I have to flog it out of your hide!" said the Captain in an ominous tone of voice.
"No sir, I mean I don't know where I've been, sir". I fast became aware, that I was only frustrating the Captain and so I didn't want that. His face turned a livid red color, flush with anger.
"Boy! Are trying to be smart with me? I have the mind to lay it into you, but we have war on here. We'll settle this later." He then pointed to the big gun on the starboard side of the ship. There were eight guns in position, but there was one in particular the Captain pointed to. It was a white cannon with the skull and cross bones as its firing mechanism.
I want you to man that white cannon over there. Give it the best aim you have. Now bring it to bear on the enemy. You three go with him." He said as he pointed to three boys standing close to me. "If you miss I'll tan your hides." Again shouted the Captain.
The Captain was an old intimidating old coot. A boy standing next to me whispered silently " The old sea horse." Nevertheless, the Captain commanded respect. His demeanor and voice got as much too. Even for a man standing feet he was a mean rascal and one that I didn't want to cross.
The three of us went to the cannon that we were commanded to fire. I later learned their names. Patch a scruffy red haired lad from Wales, Bobby a black kid from Jersey City, and Sorenson-a Dutch boy. Our orders were to hit the town's walls with bubble gum shot. I didn't see how it would topple a wall, but orders are orders.
Soon, the ship's company was at full battle positions and ready to fire. The ship turned into the wind and we were off in the direction of the town called Marte Del Sol, an Island fortress filled with candies of every conceivable kind. This was prizes that boys dream of, a treasure trove of Pirate's booty. We would take the town if the good old Commander of the garrison let us. A fiercest and the meanest commander in the Spanish realm commanded the fortress. His name-Don Carlo de Ponte nicknamed the Dragon. It was said that he fought like the devil himself and never took prisoners. His prison and prison yard was always clean and free of rabble, as he called anyone stupid enough to cross him. Justice was swift.
Patch told me that there were about sixty boys on board. I wondered if any of them knew how to take a real live city, by cannon fire and wooden swords. I was to learn real quickly.
The sea lion turned again and we headed straight into the guns of the fortress. The sea lion's sails were full of wind. The mighty ship plowed gracefully through the soft blue Caribbean waters into firing range.
Then it happened. The fort fired it's guns. Great walls of water rose from the sea as the incoming rounds of peppermint sticks and red vines hit the water around us. I even saw a giant green apple candy bar splash next to my cannon. Into the waters it went. I was lucky. But, it's one of my favorite candies. My mouth watered a little as I saw it hit the water. "Boy, what a waste of good candy," I said to myself.
"Boy! On cannon number one. Keep your attention on your gun. Now, everybody load your cannon. We are going to give them a broadside that they will never forget," said the captain.
Bobby poured a canister of bubble gum shot into the mouth of the cannon. Sorenson stuffed the cannon with cotton candy. Patch, inserted the fuse. I aimed the cannon. We were ready. Then I noticed that Sorenson had swiped some of the cotton candy and was putting the last bit of it into his mouth.
"The captain will keel haul you for sure if he sees you doing that with the ordinance," whispered Bobby.
"Ah, shut your face up. I know what I'm doing," said Sorenson.
"You'll get us all in trouble," said Patch.
I had to agree with patch. As mean as the Captain is he might punish all of us in the thick of battle. So I had to say something. "Listen you guys, we have to stick together in this. We have no choice. If one does something to screw up, then we've all had it? It's either he or we. So what do you say?" I guess my words made sense because they all nodded their agreement.
"Shut up over there and fire!" shouted the captain.
We got in a lucky shot the first round. Our shot hit the wall with a large thud-of-a-sound. The wall shook a moment and then the mass of gum and cotton candy grew, grew, and became too heavy for the wall. It toppled over.
"Great shot lads. You've done well. We'll have all of their candy before the day is over. Marines! Ready for the assault," shouted the captain.
I looked around for the marines. Funny, I hadn't seen anyone else on board. But, there were twenty boys dressed in marine outfits with wood sabers and soda pop bottles with triggers coming up fast from decks below. Each soldier had a wooden horse to ride. They looked like statues and not real boys. The captain went behind each one of them pressing and pulling something.
Meanwhile, Patch, Sorenson, Bobby, and I continued to fire our cannon. We were having a great deal of luck hitting the walls of the fortress. I rather liked the success we were having. But, the gunners of the fortress were having some success, also. I saw a taffy coming in. It swung high into the air, made a seventy-degree turn, and landed on gunner pod number three. They were positioned just two cannons away from me. The taffy hit all four gunners drenching them in it's slimy ooze. It was difficult for them to move. And as it hardened, it made it even more for them to move. Gunner pod three was decommissioned. The Captain was angry.
"You saw it coming, how come you didn't move out of it's way?" shouted the Captain.
One of the gunners reported. "But, captain we were too busy firing to see it coming. "
"Okay, we'll have you out of that stuff in a minute. Meanwhile, you eat as much of it as you can until, I can free some boys to help you," said the Captain. The Captain fumed and walked over to my cannon.
"Now, look here boys, I am depending on you to make this attack successful. You are my best gunners," said the Captain. And then he went to the foredeck to survey the damage to the fortress. He took out his long spyglass and surveyed the damage. He seemed pleased so far, that was the first time that I had seen him smile.
The firing went on for another thirty minutes until we started taking in water. They were using a dirty trick against us. Instead of firing soft candy, they resorted to hard candy. One round found the water line and ruptured the ships plates. Then another round of hard candy found the belly of the ship. The ship started listing and we were uncertain about our fate. The Captain ordered a retreat.
We turned the ship and tried to speed out of the port before we sank. As we moved further out of range of the fortress's guns, we took on more water. The ship's pace slowed. Then we got the order to abandon ship after we were out of sight of the fortress and close enough to shore. Still it was a good hundred meters to shore. All available lifeboats were filled or either damaged and unusable. Patch, Bobby, Sorenson, and I decided to go in at the same time and meet on the shore. Bobby wasn't a good swimmer; so, I grabbed one of the wooded soldiers and threw it over the side into the water to help him float. All of the other boys dived into the water. The Captain refused to leave his ship until the last boy was over the side.
I was a good swimmer. Those swimming lessons at the YMCA last summer were paying off. I kept close boobies side just in case he might need help.
I saw a lot of boys making it to shore. On one of the cliffs I saw dust from riders on horseback. It was the solders from the fortress coming to take us prisoner and they were riding fast. Bobby and I had to get to shore fast so that we could make a run for it. Otherwise, we land up in the Dragon's stockade waiting for the gallows. I assisted Bobby to the shore struggling with the waves as we came inland. We were both tired after the long swim. Once ashore, I wouldn't let Bobby rest we had to make it to the thickets in the forest to avoid the yardarm.