The Sailor: A Novel of History and Adventure

By Jack Lurlyn Walters

Revisit the later 1700's and the early 1800's to witness a story of a man who, From a pleasant and comfortable life, is thrown into a seemingly hopeless State. Authored by Jack Lurlyn Walters, The Sailor: A Novel of History and Adventure is a story of trials and tribulations, hope and victory.

A picture of the book was on the left side of this Review, this review is a orginal written by your people Using historical events a backdrop for this adventure thriller, The Sailor please use this, it would be in your archive. I hope is the story of Jason Ashby-a young man loved and protected by his family on their farm estate but suddenly thrust into the world, facing adversaries who seek power that threaten all humans societies. Jason survives a shipwreck, desert treks, battles of war, and diseases by using his wits and allowing goodness to conquer evil, soon, his integrity brings him to a triumphant end, where all his struggles are put to rest. How he comes out victorious from the pitfalls of a terrible fate awaits the reader.

With goodness as the underlying concept, The sailor shows how even the Most tragic situations can be surpassed through faith and strong will. This Book brings inspiration to all men and women of today, albeit set in a period Longs ago.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 28, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453583609

Jack Lurlyn Walters

He was born in Benton, Kansas, and grew up as a smalltown boy in Yates Center, Kansas. To start his dream of adventure, he entered the United States Navy at seventeen years of age and served on year in the Pacific at the end of World War II. He was stationed aboard LST 247 and at the age of eighteen, received a honorably discharge. His father, who was a telegraph operator, taught him telegraphy as a teenager. After leaving the US Navy, he went to business college in Kansas City, Missouri, and after graduating became a railroad telegraph operator with Missouri Pacific R.R. Co. until technology phased out the operators. He worked for Boeing Aircraft Company for several years and later went to Los Alamos, as security for the Atomic Energy Commission. He finished the last twenty five years of his working career with the United States Customs Service in San Ysidro, California. He has been married over fifty-five years to his devoted wife Shirley; and they raised four children, three daughters and a son. He was an avid skier and tennis player, he loved the challenge of these sports. His love for travel and reading inspired him to write. His first novel, The Sailor, was published in 2010, and this novel, A Good Soldier was inspired by his father’s life and adventures. He is active in church and provides leadership for the senior members of the congregation and shares the word of God to his friends and family. He adores his eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grand children and spends as much time with them as possible.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Docks of London

The cold wet cobblestone street was the first thing Jason Ashby was aware of. He was also aware of the sharp pain in his head and the leather collar wrapped tightly around his neck when he moved his head slightly. He could see he was not alone on the street. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw three other men lying close to him, and they were all attached with a rope tied around their ankles. He moved his legs, but the rope was too tight for him to get up, so walking was out of the question. Not certain of what was going on, Jason sighed and closed his eyes. He drew a deep breath and inhaled the smell of the sea, which filled his nostrils. He heard the cry of the seagulls and the lapping of the water against the side of the dock and the ships. He knew he was close to the dock just from the sounds he heard. He opened his eyes and glanced upward to the sky, wondering what time of day it was. The air was cold, and he was beginning to chill to the bone, so he determined it must be dawn from the appearance of the sky. His head began to pound in beat with his heart, it seemed, as he grit his teeth and lifted his head to get a better look of his surroundings. A dense fog had settled over the area, giving everything an eerie outline. He turned his head toward the sound of the water and saw the outline of several ships tied up along the dock. The sound of men talking in low tones caught his attention and startled him, making him turn his head suddenly toward the sound. That motion made his head throb even harder. He tried to ignore it, wanting to find out where the men were. He couldn’t see anyone except the men tied up next to him moving their legs. Jason whispered to the one next to him, Do you know what’s going on? He could do nothing but groan, which didn’t help the situation.

Looking toward the sound of the water, he thought he could make out the outline of a ship several yards away out in the bay. Turning his head slightly, he saw a few men walking back and forth a short distance away from him. He wondered if they could help—or were they the ones who captured and tied him up? He heard the hushed conversation of the men and also the creaking of the gangway as it rubbed up and down against the dock. He needed to find help soon and was determined to break free from his bounds. Before he was aware of it, he was shouting out, Help! Why am I trussed up like this? I am a British subject! He counted five men coming toward him. Three of them looked enormous, but the other two were smaller. They were soaking wet and had a pungent order of urine about them. They yanked their captives to their feet, and Jason felt a strong wave of nausea sweep over him. He swallowed hard, trying to keep himself from retching. The guards scowled at them and shoved them backward into a wall behind them. A pain shot through Jason’s head, and he almost lost consciousness for a moment. Shut up, whelp, the big guard said. Don’t ask any more questions. You’ll know soon enough what’s going on. Be quiet, all of you, or I’ll bust you again. Jason saw the guard shake a braided leather sling at them, so he knew clearly that they had already used it on them earlier, based on how his head felt. The anger churned in his gut, but he decided to bite his tongue—he had no other alternative. He would wait for the events to unfold.

Leaning back against the wall, Jason’s usual alert dark eyes closed, and his beautiful suntanned skin was looking pale compared to his days back at the Fairclough estates in Sussex. His thoughts turned to home, wishing he was there, right at this moment. He longed for the familiar surroundings of the stables, exercising the horses, brushing them down, even cleaning the stalls, which was much better than this. If only his mother had not died, his beautiful mother, Linda Ashby. Tears came to his eyes as he remembered her and how he loved her. He remembered how it poured down rain the day they laid her to rest and how his grandfather often said, When it rains, it pours. It was true, because shortly after her funeral, the baron confided in them his finances were not good due to the unpleasant wars in Europe with the French and the Spanish. Baron Fairclough was not a typical member of peerage. They became one of the wealthiest families in Sussex because they were granted a vast estate given to them by Queen Elizabeth I, creating the title and estate of the Baron of Hayworth. The family then invested in the shipping industry, working with the Earl of Sussex to build a merchant fleet and over the years built a vast fortune. But times were different now, and Grandfather had decided to take him to London to look for work. When he woke up tied up with the other captives, he couldn’t recall exactly what happened and how he got there. He remembered stepping inside a door to ask directions to Old Molly’s Tavern. He saw a large parlor with red velvet chairs and several men sitting around with skimpily clad ladies all painted up and several more of them standing near a winding stairway just talking and laughing. Jason hesitated for a moment and then asked one of them if she would help him. I just love to help little boys, she said. What can I do for you, honey? she said as she wiggled her body up close to him. He pulled back away from her and remembered saying, I just have a question to ask. She grabbed his hand to lead him toward the stairs. No, no, he said, I’m lost and need to find my way to Molly’s tavern. The other girls laughed and giggled, and she looked at them and shook her head. It’s just down the street. Turn right at the corner, and it’s two alleys further down. You’ll see it. Are you sure that’s all you wanted? Oh yes, madam, that’s all, he remembered saying. He walked backward toward the door and stepped out into the dark night, when all of a sudden, he heard a voice, Hold up there, friend. He saw some rough-looking men coming toward him. And as he turned and started to run, he saw the flying object coming at him, and it hit him in the side of the head. He barely remembered falling down as he slipped into unconsciousness.

His memory brought him back to the stark reality of where he is now and how he got here, leaning against the wall of the building. He realized he had fallen asleep as he lay there, when he heard a voice say, Good to see you finally woke up. We thought you might be a goner. The voice came from one of the men that was bound to him, who was fully awake, and he said, Well, mate, are you wondering what happened? Jason sat up straight when he heard him say they had been impressed by a gang recruiting for the king’s navy. What! The impress gang don’t usually act so violent, but they were really upset and angry when they took you, one man said. The girls in the whorehouse dumped their bed slop pots on them when you were leaving. They got it all over them and were soaking wet. The men all laughed except Jason; he was having difficulty believing he had been captured by the impress gangs. What about my grandfather? he thought? He remained silent, trying to think straight, to put all the information together in his head. He remembered he was just trying to find his grandfather, so he left the inn early and stepped onto the streets of London to look for him. Grandfather had been told that Old Molly’s Tavern needed a swampier to clean up the place at night, so he went there to look for work. His grandfather had told him to stay at the inn till he got back; but since it was morning, Jason knew he was way overdue, and he must go look for him.

His thoughts turned totally to his grandfather, wondering where he was. He was old and sickly and had a bad cough; something must have happened to him. They had left the country to come to London; it must have been at least two days ago. He reflected back to all fifteen years of his life that he had lived in the country with his grandfather and his mother and his little sister, Jamie, on the Fairclough estate. Actually, the grandfather he loved was his great-grandfather, losing his Ashby grandparents several years ago. Grandfather took the role to help his mother raise him, and he thought what a wonderful life he had with them and the baron, but he began to question why they left. All the details were still fuzzy in his mind. He had worked the last four years as a stable boy and groom on the estate and took care of the horses. He remembered feeding and watering them, and his favorite thing to do was to exercise them. He loved the horses and gave each one a pet name. He was fond of them all, except Mr. H, who was ornery and always tried to butt him with his head when he tried to put the bit in his mouth to harness him up to the carriage. This thought almost brought a smile to his face when he remembered how he learned to get along with Mr. H. He didn’t like the cold bit in his mouth, so Jason warmed it first, and then they became good buddies.

Jason’s thoughts turned to his beloved mother, how he loved her so much and depended on her. Now she was gone, and he missed her terribly. His eyes became tearful as he remembered how she worked so hard for the baron as the doctor for the entire village of Haverhill. He was such a good, generous man and treated everyone, whether they could pay or not. Baron Fairclough III had been notified of his parents’ deaths when he was in medical school in Milan. They had been killed by a runaway team of horses that overturned the carriage and threw them to their death. He took over the estate when he finished school and moved back to take care of all the workers on the estate and actually made them his family. Most of them had worked their entire lives for the Faircloughs. His mother adored the doctor and thought of him as her brother, and she eventually became his nurse and manager of the household. Jason considered him his best friend and mentor.

The beautiful old manor house rested on a high hill overlooking the village of Haverhill, with a view of the entire county of Sussex. It was a wool-producing community with hills and valleys, picturesque with thousands of sheep blanketing the grass with the appearance of snow. It was well known as a Puritan community throughout the country. The people were still influenced by the religious movement of Oliver Cromwell from a hundred years past, with the teaching that God wanted them to pursue a divine destiny. This teaching still lived within them and made them people of goodness, especially toward their fellow man and each other. Their peaceful nature made it easy for Jason and his family to live happily together, until his mother passed on—which broke his heart—and he missed her so much. Because the village was so close and many had worked for the baron for years, they remained loyal to the doctor; and in turn, he totally dedicated his life to them. Linda Ashby was not of the Puritan faith—she was a Catholic, a holdover from her parents. Her job in the Faircloughs household was a maid, and after the doctor’s wife became ill, she became the household manager and also worked as the doctor’s assistant. Years before she had married a local schoolteacher and when he passed away just after three years of marriage, she returned to the bosom of the Fairclough family, bringing her two children, Jason and Jamie, with her. It was home to her as a child; she had grown up there. She would ride horses and play with young Cleve when he came home from boarding school; they grew up like brother and sister. Jason remembered, when they arrived at the estate, how happy she was to be home with family and how safe he and Jamie felt. Lord Baron immediately took Jason under his wing and began teaching him all about the estate and made him feel a big part of the family.

The baron had developed a passion for medicine at a very young age. He loved science and the study of the human body and had made the decision at a young age to study to be a doctor. His attitude of royalty was changing, just as the country’s attitude was changing to a service mentality, and he wanted to be more useful to his fellowman. Becoming a doctor would definitely make it possible to serve the people he loved. The new attitude that all people are created equal was taking hold, especially in places like America; and in England, the people were moving in that direction. When he finished medical school, he especially felt that way when he returned to the estate to start his practice of medicine. His wife came with him, but was ill, and had been ill since the birth of their second child. She was diagnosed with lung disease and quietly passed away after their fourth year of marriage, leaving behind two beautiful daughters and her brokenhearted husband. He dedicated his practice of medicine in memory of his beloved wife and vowed to serve the people of Haverhill.

Linda Ashby had been educated by her father, who was a schoolteacher, and she received an excellent education from him—which included reading and writing—much more than most women received during that time. He also taught her philosophy, English history, and much, much more. The lessons of life that she learned growing up on the estate, from her mother and father and the Fairclough household, gave her a broad education and great insight into life. When the doctor trained her to be an assistant in his practice, she became an excellent partner for him and also a mentor, a caretaker, and part teacher for his children. He depended on her for many things, which gave him more time to assume the mantle and responsibility of lord of the manor for the estate he operated. He was very fortunate, however, because most of the estate managers that he depended upon to oversee the work had been there for years, many actually growing up on the estate. That relieved him of the day-to-day operations and running the vast holdings, which gave him more free time to participate in the many hobbies that he loved. He included Jason in his hobbies, guiding him, teaching him many things like riding, the art of sword fighting, the art of self-defense such as boxing, and an ancient way of self-defense practiced mostly in China. And also, he taught him about medicine and the human body. Jason loved being with him and being challenged by all that he was teaching him. They loved to go hunting and fishing and spent many hours together. He was the father Jason never had, and Jason loved it, and he soaked it all up like a sponge.

Right now, Jason was wishing he was back on the estate, enjoying the good times with the doctor. He remembered how he treated him like a son and the good times they had together. They often went fishing and hunting, and they loved riding the horses all over the estate and the countryside together. He taught him to hunt with a bow and arrow, and they hunted deer in the forest nearby. Although the act of poaching was a capital offense according to a law called the Black Act issued by the king, they poached deer in the forest, but they always knew where the game warden was. The warden was a patient of the doctor and probably would have given them certain privileges, but the good doctor never wanted to place him in a compromising position with the law. Hunting on the king’s land always gave them a certain thrill, and they always knew they would bring a deer home to the family for a good feast. Jason learned how to hunt and walk softly in the woods and how to exercise patience while they waited for the deer to appear. When they killed their prize deer, the doctor taught him how to skin and carve the best cuts of meat for the family dining. Jason always took pride in the fact he could help put food on the table for the family to eat.

The times Jason enjoyed the most were the fencing lessons the doctor took twice a week from a local fencing master. He watched each lesson intensely. The instructor taught the French manner of fencing using the rapier and dagger, called the epee. With this technique, they held the epee in their protective hand and the sword or foil in the fighting hand. This required very graceful, synchronized arm-and-body movements that take time to learn. After the lessons, the doctor and Jason would practice the movements and the fundamentals over and over again until it was thoroughly engrained in their minds. The motion of attack and defense is initiated from the on-guard position, with a slight crouch assumed with both knees flexed. The position of the defensive arm is crooked upward, and the sword arm is extended toward the opponent. Jason learned a very big lesson in sword fighting: that life and death can be an instant away, and the outcome can be fatal. Jason recalled the words the doctor told him about sword fighting, if he ever had to defend himself: Always notice the position of a man’s feet, he would say, for if a man can be taken off balance, he can be beaten. Another thing Jason remembered was, When you hold the sword by the handle, think of it as holding a bird in your hand. If you squeeze it too hard, you’ll kill it. But if you don’t keep a firm grip, it will fly out of your hand. He thought of the hours and hours of practice they had together. Those days were wonderful, special times for him, and he felt so honored to have such a friend and mentor as the doctor. They practiced so much together, and Jason improved so much the doctor considered him as an equal in his own ability with the sword. From the age of eleven, he grew into an expert swordsman. The doctor told him that fencing taught them mental alertness, ability to think ahead, and to keep life in balance. The doctor never carried a sword or a weapon, because he believed in saving lives and taught Jason the same philosophy: to save lives whenever he could, but always be ready to defend yourself if necessary. Jason was so grateful that the doctor went out of his way to help him become self-reliant and to treat life with great respect, but also to enjoy life and have fun together.

Jason’s thoughts turned back to Grandfather Ashby, still wondering where he was and what happened to him. He remembered how his grandfather lived close to the Fairclough estate and would come over on holidays, family picnics, and on other occasions. He entertained the family by playing the fiddle, and he tried to teach Jason to play, but he didn’t have a musical ear. It was rare to see a one-armed fiddle player, and the family was fascinated by him. He had lost his arm while serving in the navy during the war with Spain, when he was just a young man. He taught Jason many things, especially about being a sailor. Things like knot tying, how to read the clouds and the ocean currents, which ran similar to pathways or roadways in the ocean. He also taught him how to measure knots, which indicated the speed of the ship. He taught him the importance of the color of the sky and clouds and the direction of the winds and when to recognize when a storm was imminent and also what it meant when the air pressure dropped. One of his favorite sayings was Red sky at night, a sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, a sailor’s warning. Jason teased his grandfather about that old wives’ tale, but he told him it was biblical and can be found in Matthew 16:1-3. Jason doubted it but looked it up, and sure enough, it was there. Jason never questioned his grandfather’s antidotes and sayings after that.

Jason’s thoughts kept returning as to why they left the Haverhill estate. He remembered his grandfather telling them that he had lost his pension as a farmhand because the king had discontinued all veterans’ pensions, which left many men out of work and without the ability to support themselves. Fortunately, Grandfather had family and friends to help him. Because of his age, he knew it was time to retire from farming so he could help Jason establish his life before he passed from this world. Grandfather was becoming old and sickly, so he told Jason he would take him to London to find work, perhaps on a merchant ship. Jason hated the thought of leaving his family but knew it was time to become a man. Things had changed on the estate; he lost his mother because of the plague, and the plague had hit the country so hard that it affected the economic security of the estate so badly that the estate managers could no longer fund the entire families and all the workers. England had basically become a navy power, so Grandfather thought that was the best direction for Jason to pursue a career. He hated the thought of leaving Jamie and his best friend growing up: his constant playmate, Ashtin Melissa, daughter of one of the estate managers, William Kizer. They were so close, just like brother and sister. The Kizer family had a good-bye dinner for Jason, and Mr. Kizer said a beautiful prayer, praying for his safety as he ventured out into the world. He asked God to guide and protect him and to help Jason walk in His Son’s light. Jason remembered how he was humbled by those lovely words, and it brought tears to his eyes. After dinner, the doctor gave him best wishes and a blessing, and he placed some coins in Jason’s hand, which he could use in London. He told Jason, Who of us knows the direction of our lives, and who knows what tomorrow may bring? When we pause at a crossroad, we often wonder what might be waiting on the road not taken. Go with God, son. He gave him a Bible and gave him a big hug. Jason felt like crying, but he did not. Saying good-bye to the doctor was as difficult as anything he had ever done. He hugged Jamie, his only sister, and he did have a tear in his eye. They had learned to be strong since their mother passed away, and he knew she would be all right; the doctor would take care of her.

After the good-byes, Ashtin and Jason went out on the front lawn to talk and say good-bye. I will return someday, he told her, and if you are not here, I will find you. She reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on his lips, his very first kiss from a girl. She took her cross from off her neck and asked him to wear it for good luck. I will always hold you dear to my heart, but we are too young to make pledges. Jason promised to think about her often, no matter what happens to either of them. Go with God, she said. She turned and ran away crying.

Chapter 2

Going to London Town

The moment had arrived to depart, and Jason and Grandfather started walking down the lane after all the good-byes. The baron stood in the front door watching them leave and felt very sad that a big part of his life was walking away from him. He remembered the wonderful times he had with Jason, teaching him all the things that a young mind was curious about and would soak up. He had watched him grow from a small boy to a handsome six-foot-tall young man with dark curly hair and a cleft chin that became his trademark from a young age. He sadly turned and went back into the house before he was totally overcome by emotion; it was like his very own son was leaving. It was early in the morning; the birds were singing, and the morning air was fresh and cool. The leaves on the trees were rustling and fluttering in the breeze as Jason and Grandfather walked. The horses were out in the pasture as they walked down the path, and some of the horses came up to the fence. Jason stopped to pet each one and whisper in their ear that he loved them and would miss them. He had always whispered to all the horses, and they all expected to get a handful of sugar afterward. As they walked further down the lane to the end of the pasture, a couple of his pet horses followed him down the fence line, sensing something wasn’t normal. Mr. H looked over the fence, raised his head, and whinnied two or three times as if he was saying good-bye. It’s strange how animals have a sixth sense of something changing, isn’t it, son? Jason thought Grandfather was telling another old wives’ tale, but he knew he was absolutely right. As they walked on down the road, a tear came to Jason’s eyes as he grimaced bravely and kept his head down so as not to appear like he was crying. But he walked on bravely, down the lane away from the farm and over the hill and on toward London town.

Grandfather said he hoped they could find work in the city, but Jason could see after just a few miles of walking this would be a difficult trip for his grandfather. He started coughing more and more, and it sounded similar to his mother a few weeks before she passed away. As they walked on down the road, Grandfather would ramble on about his life at sea, his battles with the Spanish, how he had lost his arm, and how he had been hit by a cannonball that blew off my arm below the elbow. He told how he had tied off the wound all by himself with a belt from a dead sailor who was lying next to him. He had another sailor urinate on the stump to clean it and to prevent mortification. Then he told Jason how he stuck the stump into a hot tar bucket to seal the wound and how another sailor helped him bandage it. Jason really couldn’t believe his story but actually had read accounts in a book that this was often done to clean knife and sword wounds—and even bullet scrapes. Grandfather had heard about it years ago from a native African sailor who told him of the remedy that was used by the African warriors. It worked every time, and they never heard of a wound mortifying or getting infected. A person couldn’t get too squeamish about this procedure because it saved their lives and was necessary to do.

Jason loved to hear grandfather’s stories even when he went through difficult times. He knew he was a very brave and determined man, telling him stories as they walked along, even though he was coughing and weak. Grandfather recalled many incidents of an old navy surgeon who saved his and many other sailors’ lives. In fact, he gave full credit to the old navy surgeon, who prevented him from being thrown overboard along with other dead sailors after a battle. He had passed out from the loss of blood, and they thought he was dead, when the doctor yelled out That one is still alive! Grandfather chuckled as he told the story, Jason remembered.

Their first night on the road, when they could no longer see clearly, they decided to stop for the night to rest. They cleared away some brush close to a rock wall beside the road. A tall giant oak tree, which was next to the wall, had low limbs hanging out, almost touching the side of the road. They laid out their beds under the limbs to make themselves invisible from anyone traveling down the road so they could feel safe. This also afforded them some protection from the wind as they huddled as close to the wall as they could. Then it began to rain, and they knew they were in for a miserable night. As they tried to sleep, they heard movement around them. Stay close to me, Jason. But if I say run, you run, and don’t look back. And don’t come looking for me, Grandfather said. Jason was too scared to argue; his heart was pounding. He kept saying to himself that he needed to be brave. It was an hour or so before he could stop shivering from fright. The rest of the night wasn’t any better, then he started shivering from the rain and the cold. The night was long, but the rain finally stopped, and the stars came out. The stars sparkled, and the cool damp air made sleep difficult, but he snuggled as close to Grandfather as he could for warmth and to feel safe. Jason kept looking up to heaven and prayed to God, and his prayers must have been effective. Apparently God answered because he soon fell a sleep, and nothing more happened during the night.

The next morning, they felt halfway rested. Jason thought back on the night and told Grandfather, Last night was the first time I had ever prayed outside my own bedroom, and God answered my prayers. I must have gone to sleep because I didn’t hear any more noise. Grandfather put his arm around him and smiled, I didn’t hear anything more, either. It was a beautiful, clear cool day; the birds were singing, and Jason watched a squirrel jumping from limb to limb above them. Then they looked over the wall and saw three horses grazing in the field close by. They both began to laugh, thinking about how scared they were last night—it must have been the horses’ movement that they heard. They both laughed their silly heads off, and Jason said, I was praying you wouldn’t start coughing so if someone was out there, they wouldn’t hear us. And now we know it was the horses. Grandfather laughed and said, You are never too old to be scared, son! It’s how you handle it that counts. I’ve been scared many times in my old life, and coughing at the wrong time wouldn’t be good. Grandfather told him that one time, he stuffed an old rag in his mouth when he thought someone was near, and he was scared and didn’t want to be heard. Then he chuckled his little laugh and told Jason, Thank goodness everything was all right, and I could take that old rag out before I turned blue. They both had a good laugh before they ate breakfast.

Grandfather said, Jason, don’t forget the blessing for the food and the night’s rest. Yes, Grandfather, Jason replied. They shared an apple and a biscuit for breakfast, packed up their gear, and moved on up the road about an hour or so after sunrise. This was the second day of their travels, and about noontime, they came to a large hill at a crossroad. At the top of the hill was a sign with an arrow pointing north to London. On the other side of the road was a sign pointing toward Plymouth. They headed north toward London and saw another sign that said Hangman’s Hill. Close by the sign, they saw this very impressive tall oak tree. On one limb sat two large black carrion birds high up in the tree, looking down at the larger carrion bird sitting on a metal cage. On a large tree limb that protruded outward toward the roadway hung the partial remains of a dead man who had been dressed in dark clothing and was encased in a metal cage that was swinging back and forth in the wind. The creaking of the cage, which hung by a metal chain, gave out a weird creaking noise when it swung back and forth, which gave it an eerie atmosphere fitting for such a horrible scene. One of the corpse’s eyes had been plucked out, leaving a bare-boned socket and a stream of dried blood running down the front of his jacket. There was an awful putrid smell coming from the recently hanged body, and Jason and Grandfather covered their nose and mouth and felt nauseous. Let’s get out of here, Jason said, I don’t want to see this anymore. It is a terrible way to die, Grandfather. Yes, it is, he said. As they hurriedly walked away, they saw another sign with another large carrion bird sitting on it. The sign said:

Joe Banks, hanged here this day, a hi-way man, will rob and kill no more. Beware to all who take up this trade, you likewise will join old Joe Banks.

What is a hi-way man, Grandfather? He explained that some men rob and kill others as they travel on the roads and byways and steal their money and property and often rape their women and children and other heinous crimes. They are evil men who are too lazy and worthless to work for a living. Most of them think they won’t get caught because they are too far away from towns and cities where the lawmen and sheriff are located. Some men turn to crime because they feel unable to control their destiny. Desperation will drive a lot of men to do desperate things, Grandfather told Jason, but there is never an excuse for stealing or killing. When a man commits a sin, such as murder, his death is not honorable. And he must die in disgrace. The king’s law decrees that the judgment of the land allows certain penalties to be imposed on those who steal and kill, such as hanging. This allows mankind to effectively express their condemnation and contempt against those who harm us. Hanging is a dishonorable death, and when we look up on it, it expresses the disdain and abhorrence of evil that man commits against his fellow man. Mr. Banks died a dishonorable death, and that is what we saw today, Jason. And men imposed the penalty on him that the law allows, Grandfather said. Jason thought for a moment and said, I won’t ever steal or murder anybody. I never want to die like that. Grandfather chuckled and said, I know you won’t, my son, you have a pure heart.

They continued on their travel and spent another night on the road, without incident. The next morning, they joined up with several other travelers, which gave them a feeling of safety in numbers. As they walked up a hill, a group of riders—five men in all—came riding up from the opposite direction. The men later revealed themselves to be the sheriff’s men, but they did not demonstrate it by displaying any badge of authority. They told them they had hung the hi-way man, Joe Banks, three days ago; and they were questioning everyone traveling on the road. They asked everyone in their party how long they had been traveling together and where they met up. They also asked each one how long they had been traveling on the road. Grandfather told them they had just viewed the terrible sight of the hanging yesterday, hours earlier. They finally got around to Jason and began to question him. They asked him questions regarding where he had come from and where he was going, the same questions they had just asked Grandfather. While Jason was answering the questions, one of the riders rode his horse against one of the travelers and knocked him to the ground. Then all the sheriff’s men laughed as he fell, and the horse almost stepped on the poor fellow. Jason asked why they were being treating so rudely—they knew nothing of the hi-way man and were simple travelers on the road. As Grandfather had told them, they were going to London to seek work and were not looking for any trouble. Well, you better not get smart with me, the big, ugly fat man said. You just might get to join the man we just hung—we are still looking for his fellowmen. Jason said, We assure you, sir! We have not seen them, and it’s not likely that we are a member of any group of thugs like that. Jason went on to say he doubted if they would find many hi-way men who could use a one-armed elderly man and a teenage boy in their gang to do their dirty deeds. As far as the other four people in our traveling group, we just met them a few minutes ago. They aren’t likely to be Joe Bank’s associates either, since she is a pregnant woman traveling with her husband and a small child, Jason continued. You got a smart mouth, young man, the sheriff’s man named Frank said. I advise you to watch your mouth, or I’ll knock your head off. Jason’s temper flared, and just as he started to say a word of protest, Grandfather tugged at his sleeve to stop him from any hasty acts or words. Grandfather said to Frank, He’s just a boy, sir, let me assure you we know naught of the persons or person you seek. Just then, one of the other riders said to Frank, They aren’t of interest to us, Frank, they aren’t the ones we seek. Come on, Frank, let’s go. But this punk kid has a smart mouth, and I need to settle him down, said the bully. Leave him alone, and let’s go, It’s a long way back to London town. The bully turned his horse and took Jason by surprise and knocked him over, and he landed in a mud puddle on the road. They all laughed as they rode away. Jason got up, his shirt and trousers soaked and muddy, and he was very angry. There was nothing he could do; they had already departed, and Jason could hear them laughing as they rode away. He was so mad, all he could do was kick the water and the mud and it flew up and got all over him again. He kept kicking the mud hole until grandfather yelled, stop it, Jason! It took several minutes to gain his composure, and Grandfather, said, If you are okay now, we should get moving along. Yes, sir, Jason said, Why do men act so ugly, grandfather. I don’t know son, that’s just the nature of some men to be ugly."

Later as they continued on their journey to London town, they could see that they were getting closer to the city. They could see the outline of London from the top of the hill way off in the distance. They could see smoke coming from the chimneys of the houses, and when the wind currents blew strongly enough, they could smell the stench of London. The clouds came up and it looked like rain or snow at any moment. The wind was whipping up as they walked, and Grandfather said, It is a windy, frosty morning, and we need to find shelter soon. It’s getting awful cold, and the ground is getting frozen and crunchy to walk on. And Jason agreed as he replied with a frosty breath. Jason was still wet and muddy, and he was shivering from the cold and couldn’t wait to get to shelter and cover up with a warm blanket. Grandfather said they need to get shelter, or they will catch their death of cold. About an hour later, a light snow flurry started, and it was then they noticed lights and violin music coming from a building nearby. Jason said, That looks like an inn, Grandfather, there is smoke coming from the chimney. Yes, son, I believe it is an inn. I’m about to freeze my ears off too. The others in their group moved on since they were nearing their destination. It’s been nice traveling with you. You both have good fortune. Good-bye, and good luck to you! they said.

They entered the door of the inn, with Jason walking in ahead of Grandfather. There were a dozen or so people sitting at three tables, and a lady was playing a violin. A couple of men were standing in front of the fire, warming their hands and rumps. When Jason saw them clearly, he knew they looked familiar to him. A rather pleasant young woman walked up to them and said, What can we do for you, gents? Jason said, Can we get something to eat? She replied, Have a seat, lad, you and your companion. And I’ll fetch you some bread and meat and ale right away, we will. As they sat down, Jason whispered to Grandfather, I think that is the same bully that knocked me over with his horse on the road, and pointed to the man at the fireplace. Grandfather nodded in agreement. A minute or so later, the waitress returned with two glasses of ale, some bread, and a few slices of beef and fowl. As they dug into the food, Jason took a swallow of ale, stood up, and bent over, thinking he was going to throw up. He started to sputter and spew and said, Grandfather, what in the world is this awful stuff? Grandfather replied, I’m sorry, lad, I should have warned you. I never thought about the fact you never tasted ale before. I always order ale out of habit, he said. As they continued to eat, one of the men standing at the fireplace said, Well well. Who do we have here? A little girl! Well, miss, speaking to Jason, would you like me to hold your nose while you swallow that that tankard of ale? Little girls shouldn’t drink a man’s drink, should you, honey? Jason said, What’s your problem, mister? The little girl wants to get sassy, does she? Well, we know how to treat naughty little girls. We give them a good spanking on their cute little behind, don’t we, George? Yep, we sure do. We give them a whipping, we does, George replied. Grandfather stood up and said, Leave my grandson alone! He is just a mere lad. The bully said, Well, he talks like a smart mouth little girl, and she needs a good lickin’. And we’re going to give her one on her little behind. Aren’t we, George? Yes, Frank, we sure are. And they both laughed. Grandfather moved so quickly that he knocked over the chair as he went to Jason’s defense. He stumbled against the table, tipping it over and spilling all the food and drinks all over the floor. He slipped and lost his own balance and fell. As he started to get up off the floor, the bully, George, moved over and put his foot into the middle of Grandfather’s chest and said, Now stay there, Grandfather, and we will show you how to take care of your smart mouth little girl! Jason acted quickly and backed up against the fireplace to get ready for action. As Frank, the big ugly bully, started toward him, Jason saw him reach around to the front of his waist, open the buckle of his belt, and slip it out of his trousers. He whipped the belt out and made a cracking sound with it as he whipped it toward the floor. He approached Jason, rubbing his free hand across his whiskered chin, opened his mouth with a big grin, showing his disgusting yellow-coated, stained teeth. Jason knew he was getting ready to fully enjoy himself as he moved toward him. Jason moved backward as far as he could against the fireplace, grabbing the poker that he had all ready spotted in the rack hanging on the fireplace. He jammed the point of it into the soft underbelly of his opponent, and as the rogue grunted and bent over, Jason brought the poker down on the back of Frank’s head with all his might. The man fell like a fallen tree that he had just chopped down. Jason immediately turned and looked at the man that had his foot on Grandfather’s chest and said Do you want some of the same, mister? Oh no, son. We’re just funnin’ around. No reason to get mad. We’re just fixing to leave. So we’ll be on our way, if that’s okay with you, gents. The innkeeper ran up with a large heavy stick in his hand and said, Get out, and get him out of here, as he pointed to Frank lying on the ground, moaning and holding his head, and said Don’t ever come back in here again! George grabbed his partner off of the floor and carried him by the nape of his neck, pulling him out, saying, Good work, son, good work. Grandfather got up from the floor and put his arms around Jason’s and said Good work, son. The innkeeper turned and said, We sure are sorry, gentlemen. I heard the ruckus from the kitchen. Sorry I couldn’t get here quicker. I can’t allow this type of thing going on in my establishment or want rowdies like them bothering our customers. By this time, the girl had replaced their food and drink onto another table. The innkeeper said, I have rooms available, if you’re planning to spend the night. That, we are, Grandfather said. They both sat down and enjoyed their dinner and ate heartily, and Jason had another gulp of the ale before he turned the remainder over to grandfather. He said, Why do you drink this awful stuff, Grandfather? It tastes so awful. He answered, I’ll grant you that, and he smiled and shrugged his shoulder. It’s the drink of sailors all over the world. You’ll get used to it, and he laughed his little laugh. When they finished their meal, the innkeeper escorted them to their room and bid them good night. They couldn’t wait to curl up in a nice warm bed and rest the night. They had a wonderful night’s rest, and even Grandfather’s snoring didn’t keep Jason awake.

The morning was clear and cold, and Jason wondered what the day would bring. They had had an adventurous trip so far, and he hoped the day would be much calmer. They enjoyed a hot breakfast of meat and eggs and several cups of hot tea to warm their insides. They packed their belongings in their backpacks and purchased bread from the inn, with the coins that the good doctor had given them. When they were ready to leave the inn, they looked around, half expecting to see their rough friends. But thank goodness they were nowhere around. They hoped they would never see them again.

They proceeded down the snow-covered road, and close to the end of the day, they finally walked into the city of London town. The sun had shown all day; but still, the cold chilly air lay heavily over the city, which gave a feeling of another storm pending. As they entered the city, the streets were heavily traveled, lots of foot traffic, people going hither and yon, carriages driving up and down, wagons of merchandise delivering their goods, and the hustle and bustle of the city was just what Jason imagined it would be like. He was awestruck by all the people; he had never seen that many people in one place before. Suddenly, they saw the two men, Frank and George, the two bullies that they encountered at the inn the day before. They rode up on their horses and blocked their path and forced Jason and Grandfather to go around them. Jason thought, Here we go again. Why do we keep meeting up with these thugs? Grandfather put his arms around Jason’s shoulders as if to say, Stay calm. There was a difference this time, however. Both of them had swords hanging at their sides. One of the bullies said, I see you no longer have a poker in your hand, you young impertinent scoundrel! And for that, you shall have to pay the penalty ! I imagine you thought you were home free from my wrath. No man shames me like that and gets away with it. Jason said, Sir, I am only fifteen years old, and you are a grown man. And you and your friend are both armed. That’s just tough for you, isn’t it? Maybe you can magically pull a poker out to save yourself once again, he said laughingly. Several people started to gather around, and one man said, Leave the boy alone. He is not armed. You attack him, and we will inform the constable. You will have to pay the penalty of killing an unarmed man. I am a member of the county sheriff’s posse, Frank said, and this young impertinent rogue is a possible suspect and friend of the highwayman, Joe Banks, who we caught and hung a few days ago. Yesterday, we encountered him on the road near the hanging tree, and we suspect him as a member of the Banks gang. Jason said, Gentlemen, these men interviewed us yesterday concerning this matter, and the whole posse let us freely go on our way. It was later in the evening at the inn where we stayed that these two drunken rogues encountered my grandfather and me and threatened to whip me with his belt. I bested him with a fire poker, and now he wishes to kill me for the act of defending myself.

A crowd begun to gather around to watch the outcome of this impending event. Frank looked around at the gathering crowd and said, I have a sword, and my friend has one. If I give this young man my friend’s sword to defend himself, will that satisfy your sense of fair play? You apparently wish to give this unruly youth a fair chance. If that is all you’re concerned about, let me get on with teaching this lout a lesson for his attack on me at the inn. Jason then said to the crowd, This brigand attacked me, good people, I only wish to defend myself. The crowd’s spokesman said, This boy is only a lad, sir, and you are a grown man. Apparently, you have had many years of experience carrying a sword and have knowledge of its use. Of course, I have knowledge of the sword. I am a sheriff, Frank said. Jason intervened at this point and said, Let this lout provide me with his friend’s sword, sir, and I assure you he will regret the day he challenged me! Frank roared with laughter, and Jason took everyone by surprise and grabbed the sword out of George’s hanger before anyone could react.

Everything the good doctor taught him about sword fighting suddenly flooded his mind. As he felt the weight of the sword in his hand, he whipped it in the Italian bravado manner in preparation of going into the fencing stance. Jason then turned and noticed his adversary’s reaction on his face. He had a surprised look on his face, and Jason smiled and noticed Frank’s carotid artery at the base of his throat pulsating rapidly. Jason took his stance and said, En garde! Defend yourself. Jason waited for Frank to pull his sword from his hanger, then stepped back and whipped his sword up and down once again, showing off just a bit. He went into the fencing stance once again and said, Salute. Frank’s stance was less graceful looking, Jason thought, and he noticed his feet looked off balance. They crossed swords, and Jason immediately went on the attack. He whipped his blade over Frank’s head, knocking off his hat, and then took two steps back and saw the fright in his eyes. Jason advanced with two small steps at a time, and with each thrust, he threw his adversary off balance. Jason parried his advance and pointed the tip of his sword at Frank’s eyes, and he could see the sweat pouring from his forehead and his eyes darting around with fright. Jason circled his opponent; and as Frank turned to follow him, Jason slapped the flat of his sword on Frank’s backside, causing him to stumble. Frank was so enraged by the insult that Jason could have easily killed him at that time, but instead, Jason continued to taunt him as he encircled him. Frank’s sword and body movements were very awkward; and as Jason pressed forward, Frank leaned