Bing Gananda 9

Captain Pearce watched Martin, the Mate, being rowed away to the shore. A dozen men were spending the night on the beach with him. The Bos'n stayed aboard with the remaining crew.
"They need to blow off a little steam anyway, sir," he said to Pearce.
The Captain was quiet for a while. Then he turned to Jackson.
"What was that you saw in the jungle, Mr. Jackson?"
Jackson hesitated.
"I don't rightly know, sir. Mr. Tindor was with me, but he don't know neither."
He could see that the Captain wasn't satisfied with that and went on.
"I couldn't see anything. And then, suddenly, it was there, right in front of me, like a ghost or something. I think it looked like some kind of cat, but even now I'm not sure."
"How big was it?"
"That's the thing, sir, it's like I saw it, but didn't see it." he looked into the distance. "Kinda crazy, isn't it."

As the boat hit the beach, Martin stepped from it into the shallows, and then up onto the sand. It had been a long time since he had been on solid ground, and it took him a moment to get used to it. The men were gathering driftwood for a fire.
The sun was low over the mountain, and shadows were beginning to reach toward the men on the beach. The sailors were laughing as they lit the fire. Several were bringing a catch of fish for their meal. Some had gathered coconuts they had found at the edge of the jungle, and there were several strange fruits, that they were hesitant to taste.
Martin had handpicked the men with him, with the exception of the Naturalist, Tindor. It irritated him that Tindor had insisted on staying ashore. But Captain Pearce had been more than willing to do without his company. So it was. But Tindor had wandered off with his sketchbook for now.
It was beginning to get dark by now. Martin joined the men at the fire. They were beginning to roast their catch. One of the sailors carefully bit into one of the fruits, screwed up his face and threw it back into the jungle. He spit out the sour pulp. The others laughed.
"Must not have been ripe," one joked.
The man continued to spit, trying to get the sour taste out of his mouth.
Martin signaled to one of the sailors who had come on the boat with him.
"Here, see if this helps," he said as the sailor brought the cask of rum from the boat.
The men cheered when they saw it.

Onboard the Mary Anne, Captain Pearce looked uneasily to the beach when he heard the shouts. There was something ominous in the air.



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