There are a total of seventeen names on the list. Except for Zhang Heng, all of them have complained to the lame old pirate about the captain or helmsman. Most of them are old people on the ship. Many of them have gone to sea with Fraser.
The pirates had differences over their punishment. Some radicals advocated killing the betrayers, but more people felt that exile was more appropriate. During the quarrel, Billy kept insisting that the piece of paper had been switched, but this happened The war was approaching and there was no time to investigate the truth. In the end, Orff came forward and decided to temporarily imprison the seventeen people in the cells on the ground floor until the battle ends tomorrow before conducting follow-up investigations.
When Irving read Zhang Heng's name, the farmer's son quietly moved his buttocks to distance himself from the former. Zhang Heng was not angry. If Malvern didn't do this, he wouldn't be Malvern.
Seventeen people were taken to the bottom of the cabin, and as the iron door closed, the matter finally came to an end.
The Queen Anne's Revenge anchored for the night twenty nautical miles off Charleston.
The next afternoon, the pirates on the ship all changed into navy uniforms, and Elmer, the original captain of the Scarbury, was finally taken out of the dark cabin.
Half a month later, he looked much haggard. He was no longer as high-spirited as when they first met. He was in ragged clothes and had an unkempt beard. He couldn't help but squint his eyes when he saw the long-lost sunshine outside.
Orff walked up to him and asked, "Have you remembered everything I taught you before?"
Mr. Lord nodded hurriedly, "I am Elmer Anderson, the captain of the Scarbury. Our ship encountered a storm while cruising, so it returned to port for repairs less than a month after setting off. I heard that New York, The daughter of Count Bellomont, the governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, was getting married, so I took people to the city to congratulate her."
After a pause, he added in a flattering manner, "Actually, it doesn't have to be that troublesome. There is no one in the New World who can't recognize HMS Scarbury. No one will dare to question us, and Earl Bellomont and I ourselves We are old acquaintances as well.”
"I know you are old acquaintances, don't worry, you will be together soon." Orff said meaningfully.
Elmer thought Orff was saying that both he and Bellomont would be arrested, and he couldn't help but look a little embarrassed. After all, what he was doing now was strictly speaking unethical, and it was tantamount to tricking Bellomont, but what? Friendship is not as important as his own life, not to mention Orff also promised that as long as he cooperates well, he will find a time to let him go after this matter is over.
"Take him down to take a bath and change his clothes. The captain of the magnificent Scarbury cannot be so sloppy." Orff said to the pirate on the side.
Then the old helmsman pushed open the door to the captain's cabin and said to the man behind the wooden table, "It's time."
The latter stood up. His appearance had changed a lot compared to before. He was wearing a black three-cornered hat, a long red jacket, and a belt around his waist. The most important thing was the mouth sign. His black beard has been shaved cleanly, and he seems to have changed now, from a pirate leader who was feared by countless people to a heroic naval officer.
Orff was stunned for a moment and said with emotion, "How many years have passed since I thought I would never see you wearing this outfit again."
"Some things are better forgotten." Edward Teach said lightly. As he spoke, he picked up the saber and musket beside him.
"I still don't know whether what we are doing is right or wrong. If he were still alive, he would not want to see you become what you are today."
"If you're going to be nostalgic, you better hurry up, because today I will clear all the old debts."
…………
The fifty people quickly gathered on the deck. Owen was stunned when he saw Teach coming out of the captain's cabin, and then nodded to the latter, "The people have been selected, and they are all good players on the ship."
Teach looked up at the setting sun and said to Elmer, who was standing at the front of the team, "Let's go."
Orff stood on the bow of the ship and watched the team of fifty people board the pier. Just as Elmer said, they pretended to be the Scarbury Navy and entered the city smoothly without any questioning. .
Orff didn't leave the deck until their figures disappeared. The old helmsman knew that the war had begun, and he had to play his role.
At night. Orff sat alone in the captain's cabin, looking at the grandfather clock in front of him.
There was still half an hour before the appointed time. According to his usual habit, he went over what happened today in his mind again and made sure that nothing was missing. However, for some reason, he always felt uneasy in his heart.
The next moment, fire suddenly lit up in the city of Charleston, and something burned in the dark night.
Orff was stunned when he saw this scene.
Have the people in the city already taken action? But why was this time half an hour earlier, and the order was wrong? According to the original plan, the Queen Anne's Revenge should have launched the bombardment first to create chaos and panic, and then the other side took advantage of the situation and started to attack. It was because something happened in the middle. Did the accident force them to take action earlier?
The fire was also seen by the pirates on the deck. Someone hurriedly ran to the captain's room and asked the old helmsman, "Mr. Orff, what should we do now? Do we need to fire artillery support?"
Orff was also a little unsure. If the fire had nothing to do with them, the fifty people on the shore who fired the cannon in advance fell into a passive state without being prepared. So he thought about it and just said, "Let the gunners get in position first. Wait for my order."
At this moment, some sharp-eyed pirates saw a group of marines running out of the city. The group ran all the way to the small boat at the dock, jumped on it eagerly, and then rowed towards the Queen Anne's Revenge lifelessly.
"It's our people."
Seeing the semaphore on the bow of the ship, a pirate immediately lowered the ladder without Orff's orders.
The team led by Boatswain Owen came back, but only twelve of them were left, and almost all of them were covered in blood. Owen's lower abdomen was even wrapped with gauze. They were carried aboard and saw Orff. The first sentence was, "We failed! Elmer notified the defenders in the city by a method unknown to us. We were ambushed and had to disperse and escape."
"Where's the captain?" Orff's heart tightened upon hearing this.
"The captain... was the first to realize that something was wrong. He shot Elmer, but then he was hit by at least six bullets. Sorry, we couldn't recover his body." Owen said sadly, he The eleven pirates behind him lowered their heads in pain as they recalled that scene.
"Mr. Orff, now that the captain is gone, you can only make the decision. We can't delay any longer. The garrison in the city already knows that the Scarbury has fallen into our hands, and soon the forts on the city wall will Open fire on us, the operation to capture Belo Monte has failed, we have no reason to confront the defenders, so give the order to retreat."
