Freegift by James R. Benn

Author:James R. Benn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ranger Publications
Published: 2014-04-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

We follow Geer on his steady course. Whether it is the tide, or the current, or perhaps their god deciding to intervene, he leads us in the right direction. We row as the fog and haze blows away and his body sinks deeper in the water. The pale, drifting ghost finally disappearing beneath the surface. Geer is gone, but ahead the shoreline of Connecticut and the mouth of the Thames River appear as the sky gradually clears. He has brought us home.

“Jedidiah, Moses,” I say, as I strain to row the last mile or so. “Have you boys a mother and a father?”

“Both,” Jedidiah says. “They’ll be right angry when we get home.”

“I thought I’d bring Mama a gold bracelet,” Moses says. “Then maybe she wouldn’t be so mad.”

“And your father?” I ask.

“I suspect he’ll be glad to see us return,” Jedidiah says. “There’s lots to do in the fields and with the animals. Doesn’t mean he won’t take the switch to us. But not like… you know.”

“Not like me,” Matthew says, opening one eye. “Don’t worry fellows, it takes a rare father to make these scars. A few strokes on your backsides will leave everyone feeling better about things.”

“Papa don’t stay mad long,” Moses says, nodding his head in agreement. “Of course, we never done anything like this.”

“How about you, Gallop?” I ask.

“Pa left on a whaler when I was five. Never came home. Ma says the ship sank, but I’m not sure about that. Maybe he’s still out there somewhere, thinking of us now and then.”

How strange it is. In this small boat, there was one son not wanted by his father and cast out. Another son’s father left him or was drowned before he could come back. Another beat his son without mercy, in the name of their god. One father seems to be made to order, stern but quick to forgive.

And then there is mine, who does not even know I exist. Which father shall he be? Worse yet, will he deny me, deny he knew Maame, who he called Sally? I do not know which would be harder to bear.

I may never know. I came close to his people last night and barely escaped a musket ball. Next time, I will need a better plan. And a boat I do not need to row so far.

We row to Tink’s warehouse; Gallop will then take Moses and Jedidiah across the river to Groton, where they will make their way home. The boat will be returned in fine shape, except for a musket ball embedded near an oarlock.

“I will help you to the doctor,” I tell Matthew, who looks anxiously about as we pass by ships moored at the wharf.

“No, I can’t go,” Matthew says, shaking his head with determination. “Get me to my room, please, and I will be fine.”

“You will not,” Gallop says. He points to my raft, secured to Tink’s dock, and we head in. When I put her together—all ships will now forever be female to me—I thought the river journey to be the height of my waterborne exploits.

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