Chapter 95

“—an’ ‘e made us go ashore alone.” I rubbed my shoulder as if in remembered discomfort. “Got a charley ‘orse in m’ arm that ‘urt sommat fierce an’ Ricky, m’ mate, ‘e ‘ad to do most of the rowin’ back. Gawd, ‘e was that pissed off at me.”

“You found this on the island?”

“Yeah, din’t I say? There was a bunch of pieces of eight scattered on t’ beach, an’ Ricky, ‘e’s so smart, ‘e says it musta been ‘cause of a storm, the bottom gettin’ all stirred up like, an’ just kinda flingin’ t’ coins up on t’ shore.”

“Pieces of eight, luv? How’d they wind up there, d’ya think?”