Forever Young Birth Of A Nation by Gerald Simpkins Read Free Book Online Page A

coffee. She
took the helm as he stepped back, noting the compass heading.
    He took a sip then, looking into her widely
spaced beautiful gray eyes. “Aahh! That hits the spot, Cosette.
Thank you.”
    “You are welcome. Two nine zero then?”
    “Yes. That should do for most of the day.
Armando thinks we will make really good time today and I do too.”
She nodded, her eyes fixed on the horizon as the two swayed in
perfect unison to the pitch and roll of the ship. Angus thought never have I seen a lady take to the sea like this one. She has
no fear of it whatsoever, and I have yet to ever see her grab
something to keep her balance. But then, she is a vampire after
all. “ Have there been any problems with the goats?” He referred
to the five goats that had been brought along to supply blood for
her transatlantic voyage.
    “None. They seem to get enough daylight and
exercise thanks to the way you modified the ship.” She turned to
him then saying “I only nourish myself every 2 nd day,
and that seems to be working well. By me doing all of the care and
feeding, they have come to know me well.” In fact, she took each of
the five on deck for an hour every day that the weather allowed and
walked about the deck with them. She was always prompt to clean up
after their mess so that none of the crew had to be bothered with
it. It worked well enough being as there was not a lot to do to
fill the hours anyway, and it ensured that the animals would remain
healthy for the duration of the voyage. Angus was amused to note
that already the goats would follow her about like puppies when on
deck. She never bothered with lead or halter any more, and even had
learned to operate the boom-mounted cargo windlass to lift them
from and return them to the hold.
    A young man came up the steps to the aft
deck and walked toward the two, smiling broadly. He had a shock of
dark wavy hair and piercing blue eyes that twinkled when he
laughed. Cosette thought at twenty he looks nearly like Ian and
is nearly as tall too.
    Angus said “Well Stuart, do you think you
are up to finding your brother when we arrive? New York is a big
place and there will be a lot of distractions.”
    “How many banks can there be Uncle Angus? It
isn’t as if he has dropped out of sight or anything. He is
socializing with the elite of New York even now and how many of
them can there be? Cosette and I will find him, never fear. If we
do not find him the first day I will be surprised.”
    Laughing at his enthusiasm Angus said “We
have to find New York first lad. I want you to be sure to stay with
Armando when he takes readings later today. You are to learn
everything there is to know about navigation in the coming weeks of
this voyage.”
    “I will want to be in on that myself” said
Cosette with a smile.
    “Ian never taught you?”
    “No. We only sailed together across the
North Sea once and across the Channel once. I have wanted to learn
for some time now.”
    Angus said “I have no doubt that you will
learn quickly then.”
    Stuart said “Aye Cosette. You vampires are
quick learners.”
    Tossing her head slightly Cosette laughed
and said “If not for all of the humans aboard this ship, I should
like to learn how to work in the rigging with the sails and such.
You have all taught me every knot that a sailor uses.”
    The two men laughed heartily at that. Angus
said “Oh my yes! I can just see that. I wonder what my crew would
think to see you climb that rigging five times faster than any man
could!”
    “Aye Uncle Angus, or better yet just leap to
the top of one of the masts from the deck!”
    The three laughed heartily then at that
thought as Elsie’s Cloud plowed through the endless sea.

Chapter 7
    Ian read the invitation aloud to James at
the breakfast table at Bessie’s Boarding House .
    “Well Ian, it seems we are becoming fixtures
at events hosted by higher society in New York. Another gala at
Government House no less and it is to be