Cuttlefish by Dave Freer

Author:Dave Freer
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Prometheus Books

Tim was quite pleased when he got called to the bridge. It beat working in the engine room. In fact anything beat working down in the engine room in that temperature.

“We need to send someone from the boat along to Rivas, to the American Legation, to drop a letter there. Señor Omberto says he'll provide a boy to guide them. The problem, however, is that there has been some trouble in the area with foreign sailors. The Nicaraguans and the Americans are trying to keep the canal they've been working on a secret, which means that they must be nearly finished—they're arresting anyone they're suspicious about, particularly men. So he suggested sending another boy or a couple of boys. So we're going to send you and Banks. We've got you some local clothes.”

Tim groaned to himself. The other cabin boy had decided that he just didn't like Tim, even before their little fight. Now no matter what Tim did to try and keep the peace, Banks was always trying to make Tim's life a misery, without ending up in the brig. Banks was more experienced at life on a submarine, and bigger and heavier than Tim. He found ways to make that count. It had to be Banks! Still, it would be quite exciting to see this foreign city. “Yes, sir.”

It was hot and sticky, although it was barely eight in the morning when they began their walk from the house in their borrowed clothes and bare feet. They'd given Banks a big hat, because he was too pale for a local. Tim had kept his breeches but had a local cotton shirt bright with coarse embroidery.

“Makes you stand out like a peacock in a coal scuttle, Darkie,” said Banks, mockingly.

“Yeah? Well your white face makes you stand out like a bar of ivory soap in a coal scuttle,” said Tim. “Hope we don't get caught because of it.”

“Oh, it'll be a piece of cake. We get to go for a walk and look at all the pretty girls.”

“Mr. Amos said that they'll shoot you for getting familiar with the women in the Spanish Americas,” said Tim, anticipating trouble, but feeling like a bit of a killjoy and a prude. There wasn't any harm in looking, surely?

“Huh,” said Banks, “you don't know nothing. Not even about that fancy Irish girlfriend of yours. Bet you haven't even made out with her, let alone got off with her properly, even though she's making sheep's eyes at you all the time.”

Tim felt himself blush. He wanted to punch the fathead. “Captain Malkis warned us…”

“Aw, what does old Malky know.…”

“Shut up! There are some local people on the road,” said Tim.

So Banks shut up. He didn't even greet the family and their geese, but Tim copied the boy showing them the way, and got a smile and a burst of a foreign language. Tim nearly panicked, but their guide rattled off an answer. The goose-herders laughed, and they all went on through a small huddle of houses, and on towards the town.

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