I remember the day I became a man. The new boy they'd taken had finally stopped crying enough to put him to work, and so they brought me out all fine like. It was a devil's life he was heading for, but better him than me. Aye, he turned out a devil through and through.

Cookie shook me hand. "Ya've done your time, boy," he said, that suppertime. Led me out into the mess and sat me down right with the rest of the crew. They was all cheering and laughing. Somehow I ended up with a mug of grog in my hand. By God, I think that was the worst thing I ever tasted. I must've spilled half of it choking.

And I won't lie, I was bracing. But they didn't beat me for it. They all just started laughing. 

Then the food came out and, man, I ate as much as I got in a whole week as a cabin boy!

Ah. They was hard men. But I'd done my work for them. I'd taken my blows—and they were a lot more generous with those than food. But I was one their own the minute I stepped onto those boards.

I can still see it: old Rotter jumping up on the table and dancing the meanest jig you ever saw. Then he pulled [i]me[/i] up there with him. Let me tell you, nothing like a crowd of drunken pirates cheering you on to teach you how to dance real fast. No I didn't do half bad up there. Heh, it was just a moment and I could hardly feel my bruises. Even Cups was roaring down on the floor.

Then the captain came in...

Fetch me another drink, boy.

He always had a fire in his eyes, that man. And I never heard a breath against any course he charted—from our men. There'll be hundreds who've died cursing him. Well this wasn't a man who quieted his crew when he came into a room, though you can be damn sure every man there was scared of him. He had a type, he did, of man that he picked for his ship. And as soon as we caught sight of him everyone started yelling loud enough to drown out cannonfire.

I'd learned real quick (and I saw then my mates had too) to listen, to tell when he had a plan. "To arms!" he called, "Raise the black!"

Every man jumped to. I won't lie I was frightened. All the raids before I'd been below with whatever work I had. This was one of things I hadn't learned.

I stood there on the table, frozen, as the mess emptied. The captain walked toward me. I stepped off the table. I was watching his hands the whole time. You would've too. You lot are lucky I don't cuff you as much as he did me. God knows I oughta.

He didn't hit though. That devil grinned his big, rotten grin. He handed me a pistol. "Yer boardin'," he said.

Another mug.

We came up alongside them and boarded, whooping and howling the whole time. Those sons of bitches must have been scared out of their minds.

That was the fight I lost my leg. My first time and... I made 'em pay for it. That captain thought he had me good when he sliced me with his cutlass. Well I took that pistol and I shot the bastard right in the face. 

They carried me back bleeding, but we routed those bastards after that. Didn't even leave them with socks.

No one beat me after that, or treated me like a boy, let me tell you.

And you oughta listen to that! Maybe next time you're getting whipped, think if it's cause you're not pulling your weight. Now run and get out there and if you don't bring back all the gold you can carry, I swear I'll take your legs myself.