135 The Governors Visi (1/2)
They'd barely entered the strip of forest that separated their settlement from the shore when they encountered Gladys and Susan running back to the settlement, their eyes wide with fear. Harold instantly thought about the settlers they'd killed. Had they returned to the New World? Were they looking for revenge?
”We saw a ship!” cried Susan. Gladys tried to add something, but couldn't; she was short of breath.
”Calm down! What ship? Where?” asked Dave.
”How am I supposed to know what kind of ship it is,” snapped Susan. ”It's headed for the shore and there are people on it.”
”Of course there are people on it,” said Dave. ”Ships don't sail by themselves.”
Susan turned red with anger. Harold stepped in quickly, before things got out of hand.
”Sorry you girls had a shock,” he said. ”Now, try to take it easy. Go back home and we'll go on and investigate - right, Dave? Then we'll return and tell you what we found out. Go on, now.”
But Susan and Gladys weren't to be dismissed so easily. They started speaking, interrupting each other in their excitement.
”It looks like one of those Viking boats in movies. It has - ”
”No it doesn't. It has a triangular sail, not square. It hasn't got - ”
”Never mind what it hasn't got. What it has is at least a dozen people on board. And some - ”
”A dozen MEN, not people.”
”Men are not people?”
”That wasn't my point. I meant - ”
”Girls,” Dave said. ”Girls. Girls!”
”Stop calling us girls,” Susan snapped. ”We're over sixty. I am sixty five. But you wouldn't know, would you? You always forget my birthday.”
Harold moaned and covered his face with his hands.
”What's wrong with you?” Gladys asked him crossly.
It took a while before everyone calmed down, and Susan and Gladys let themselves be persuaded into returning to the settlement.
”And don't forget to put the fire out,” Dave told them.
”Put it out? It's a royal pain to get it going again!”
”We don't want those people, pardon me, those men to see the smoke,” Harold said.
Susan and Gladys felt a little stupid they hadn't thought of that, and they finally agreed to return to the settlement and await news there. Dave and Harold jogged along the path that led through the forest and to the beach, slowing down only when the trees got sparser. They reached the treeline, and hid behind neighboring tree trunks.
Their wives had been right. There was a ship offshore, and it was headed toward land. It was quite close, not more than a quarter of a mile away, and they could see plenty of activity on board. Like Gladys had said, it had a single mast carrying a huge lateen sail that was being taken in by the crew. It was obvious the ship was coming in to land.
”Oh Jesus,” Harold said. ”They're armed. That feller standing in the bows has a spear.”
”Look, it's turning. It's carrying a flag! Can you see it?”
”Not very clearly. But it seems familiar.”
”Familiar? You've seen someone flying a flag before? I don't think you've told me about it.” Harold was tempted to add 'either', but he bit his tongue in time. This wasn't the right moment to begin recriminations.
”Of course I haven't, here. I meant back home. It's - by God, I've got it. It's the symbol from the flag of Queensland. A crown in the center of a cross.”
They were both silent for a moment. Then Harold said:
”You're right. Do you think this means what I think it means?”
”It means governor Deacon wants to pay you a visit.”
”Oh God. If he sees our settlement, we're sunk.”
They both watched the longboat approach the shore with increasing horror. Then Dave said:
”When they land, you've got to show yourself. Take off all your clothes first, you're not supposed to have any yet. Tell them you and Gladys have just arrived, and that she doesn't fancy showing herself naked to strange men. Tell them everything's fine, tell them whatever it takes to make them go away.”
Harold uttered a soft, bitter laugh.
”Don't be stupid,” he said.
”What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
”This. Look here.”
When Dave did, Harold slid the rabbit-skin briefs he was wearing off one buttock. It was very pale, in shocking contrast with the rest of his sunburnt skin.
Dave nodded.
”You're right,” he said. ”That's rock-solid proof you've been here for a while.”
”We both look like we've been here for a while,” Harold said.
It was true. Their skin was burned brown and they had long, unkempt beards and hair. They had calluses on their hands and feet, and their nails were dirty and chipped and cracked. Anyone with an IQ higher than room temperature would instantly see they'd been living in the New World for quite a while.
They watched the vessel come closer and closer. Harold thought he could recognize Deacon. He was standing next to the man holding the headstay, which Harold had mistaken for a spear. He desperately tried to think of something that would prevent disaster.
He couldn't.
Suddenly, there was a lot commotion aboard the boat. Harold heard a shout and froze with fright, convinced the crew had spotted him and Dave. Deacon retreated hurriedly from the bows, and a man carrying a long pole rushed to take his place.