As the Falcon sailed Lucien looked out at the distant isles through his telescope. He was keen to see any sign of the Bluebird, though he'd steeled himself for a long search.

Sailing with Captain Dewberry only grew more tedious. The man was an absolute stickler for punctuality and had his boatswain piping to the crew all day long. And, to Lucien's horror, he'd needed to convince the captain his father was entirely opposed to flogging, except under extreme circumstances.

As a result, Lucien found himself playing more of an ambassador for the crew than a physician. But there was no doubt in Lucien's mind their itinerary would be accomplished.

That fact should make his father happy.

Johnstone said the man wasn't purposely harsh, just set in his old ways—and he was in constant pain from arthritis, despite Lucien's ministrations. Only too well did Johnstone know how chronic pain could affect a body. And for that reason, more than any other, Lucien tried his utmost to remain patient and kind toward the old tyrant.

A ship came into view. A quick perusal told him was far too big to be his Bluebird. He panned over an island and was surprised to see a sloop shoot from an inlet. The lines were right. The color was right. His pulse quickened. He looked at the name. Big bold letters read Huntress. Disappointed he lowered the glass. Then with a start he realized they'd undoubtedly renamed her. He looked again and noted the sloop was in pursuit of the first ship. That was his ship! He was sure as he studied the lines he'd helped draw.

"HARD TO PORT!" he shouted. The crew paused only momentarily before following the urgent order.

Lucien could feel the tension mounting in the pit of his stomach. They'd give chase and he'd soon stand at his own helm!

"BELAY THAT ORDER!" came a weathered voice Lucien knew too well. He'd thought the old man was napping soundly in his cabin. "Stay the course, men!" The captain stomped up to him. "Your father may own this vessel, but I am her captain! We've no time to dally about when we've business to attend!"

Lucien had one eye on the Huntress, growing ever more distant. He begrudgingly admired the way the pirates handled the ship, trimming her expertly to make the utmost speed. "But, Captain! That's my ship! We must capture her!"

"That ship is heading south-east and our course is south-west!" Dewberry unnecessarily reminded a desperate Lucien.

"It'll take no time at all to catch her—we sail with light cargo! Please, I beg you!" Lucien said desperately.

"No time you say? Why, the ship's already out of sight. We shall not deviate from our course!"

Lucien studied the horizon. The Huntress had disappeared completely. His heart plummeted. His patience abandoned him.

"You give me no choice, Captain Dewberry, but to report you to my father."

"Report me? What insolence is this?"

"My father trusts me to relay the competency of his captains and their capacity for intelligent sailing. I have no choice but to report your complete unwillingness to increase my father's fleet with little self-risk. He'll be most displeased at the loss of such a prize."

"I'm under no orders to take prizes young man." He stood firm, his chin tilted upward with pride, as much as to look Lucien in the eye.

"No, of course not. But my father only keeps captains in his engagement who prove they're no cowards when it comes to the ways of pirates." Lucien ignored the scowling Johnstone who approached. It was too late to chase down the sloop, true, but Lucien still entertained the idea of stopping at the island he'd seen her come from. If he found where the ship made berth, he could return and capture it. "Of course, there might be another way to prove you're looking to help increase the wealth of the business."

The old captain narrow his eyes and turn his head a little, perhaps curious just enough to fall for Lucien's concoction.

"The Turks are becoming well known as an excellent place to harvest salt. If you were to find an island such as those he'd be most grateful. And stopping at that near island is really not a deviation of course, so to speak. More like a brief suspension." Lucien convinced himself since everything he said was true, it was perfectly above board to make the suggestion. He didn't allow his ulterior motive to make him feel guilty. And he pointedly avoided Johnstone's face.

The captain considered, then reluctantly agreed to a short stop. "Anchor at that near island!" he ordered. "We could use fresh water anyway," he added to himself.

When they arrived, instead of finding a good place to harvest salt, or even an abandoned pirate camp, what they found was a beach littered with skinless bodies.

Lucien stood frozen by the ghastly scene. This was how his deviousness rewarded him.

Blood soaked into the sand and birds dived and flew back up with gore in their beaks. It was enough to turn even the stomach of a physician.