The day started out fine enough. A gentle breeze blew us along on following seas. Crew lounged about on deck. Some shielded thar eyes with arms flopped over thar faces. Others plopped a hat, rag, or towel over ’em ter knock down the brilliance of tha sun.
“Be strong, mates,” warned the foreman. “Be strong in Skipper.”
“What’s Gunny mumbling ’bout now?” a feller asked.
“Reckon he fears we be taking our charge ter lax.”
“Take yer stand agin’ the devil’s schemes,” the foreman shouted. “Agin the powers of this dark world. And when the day of reckoning comes with all its vile and wicked ways, pray in Skipper’s Spirit that ya kin stand firm. Pray always fer all occasions. Make all kinds of prayers and requests.”
“Like offering up a prayer ‘ill help when I be a tight spot,” mumbled my deck mate.
“Aye, it will,” I replied. “Seen it work be fer, ‘ave I. Only it helps ter bring a weapon ter the fight, if ya get the lay of things. Make good use of the dagger Skip issued ya, that be the charge ter this crew.”
“Oh? And what dagger might that be? Onliest thing I found in me foot locker whar rats and roaches.”
“Why, I reckon ya found Skip’s words amongst them rats and roaches, ya did. All of us be issued a copy of Skip’s Sword of the Spirit. His time-honored and well-worn words fer beating back the enemy.”
“Do say! Why I ne’er even cracked that old book. Figured it whar simply thar ter give ’em rats sumpin’ ter nibble on.”
“Glory be! Ya mean ter tell me ya han’ read Skip’s Code of Conduct?”
“Not a word.”
“Why his Code be alive and active. Sharper than a double-edge dirk, it be. With Skip’s Code of Conduct ya kin divide soul from spirit, joints from marrow. Heal folks, help folks, provide fer folks. Judges our very thoughts, does his Code. Reveals our hearts, even them parts we wish ter remain hidden.”
“Seems ter me if his Code kin do all that, then keeping it tucked in a trunk and out of sight be just whar it needs ter stay. Don’ wish folks ter know me thoughts and motives, don’ ya know.”
“Suit yer self, mate. Only so long as ya keep Skip’s Code tucked away and out of sight, ya kin ne’er enter his rest.”
“Why resting I am now, ain’ I?”
“Ter be sure ya are, but once trouble comes, and thar always be trouble over the horizon, whar ‘ill ya find rest then? Tell me that. Running about on deck like a scared monkey ya ‘ill be while them with Skip’s Sword of the Spirit strapped on ‘ill be standing thar post cool as rain. That be why some in the crew kin keep a level head while others lose thars.”
“Read some of his book ya say?”
“And think on what ya read. Then when the devil comes at ya with his wiley schemes ya ‘ill have a dagger ready ter beat off his attack. Word fer word, toe ter toe, face ter face, ya kin feint, parry, and thrust ’till that blackhearted rascal gives up and retreats. Skip’s words ‘ill carry the day ever’ time. That be the way of crew aboard this vessel. With but a word we kin win any fight, ya may lay ter that.”
Parroting the Prayers of Pirates
“Lord, Skipper, ya say ter make all kinds of prayers and requests. Well, here be by prayers, requests, petitions, pleas, wants, wishes, desires, visions, dreams … ‘Ave at ’em, sir. “