“Okay,” said Steve.

Hunter tied the boat by the bowline and unfastened the longest rope from the rigging. He tied a fixed loop and gave it to Steve, taking the other end with him as he climbed up the hull of the Spanish ship. Below him, Steve and Jane watched anxiously, as the ship swayed over the waves.

The hull of the Cadiz was damp and slick with slime on the lower levels. Still, Hunter’s precise analysis of the surface and his immensely strong fingers and toes allowed him to make maximum use of whatever slight holds he could find. Patiently, he rose little by little until he reached the windows of the captain’s chamber. All of them were open.

Steve didn’t think that Hunter could move his large body into any of them, but he was wrong. As he watched, he remembered that Hunter had the ability to alter his dimensions if he wanted. Now, Hunter used that ability to narrow his shoulders just enough to ease through one of the open windows.

He worked his way through headfirst, squirming. At last his legs slithered inside. He disappeared for a moment, then leaned his upper body back outside with his end of the rope tied around his torso.

Hunter pointed to Jane. Steve nodded, understanding that Hunter did not want to risk shouting from up there for fear of attracting attention. He helped slide the fixed loop under Jane’s arms.

“It’ll be uncomfortable,” said Steve. “Hang onto the rope with your hands and brace your feet against the hull so you don’t swing against it too hard.”

“Got it,” said Jane.

Steve waved to Hunter, who began pulling her up. He watched, tense, as she swayed above him. The ships were still tossing on the waves, and she began to swing back and forth, though she did keep her feet out in front of her to kick away from the hull when necessary. Her long skirt swirled in the wind. Finally, Hunter had her at the window and he reached out to pull her in safely.

A moment later, Hunter tossed the loop back down to Steve, who fitted it under his arms and waved. Then the rope grew taut and he was lifted off his feet. He, too, kept his feet against the hull so he wouldn’t slam against it with his body, but otherwise he was completely helpless. The wind almost spun him around once, and he didn’t dare look down to see how far above the water he was. He was dizzy and losing his bearings by the time he felt Hunter’s strong hands grasp him under the arms and pull him inside the ship.

“It’s hot in here,” said Steve quietly, dizzily collapsing into a chair.

“That must be why no one is here,” said Hunter. “Everyone is on deck, out in the breeze.” He coiled the rope neatly and laid it down. “I have been listening carefully to the voices. The buccaneers are all up on deck and I think they have had enough rum to cloud their judgment.”

“What about it?” Steve asked.

“The Spanish crew is imprisoned in the hold where the cargo used to be. I am going to find some men’s clothing for Jane. Then we will sneak up on deck and look around. Except for some lamps, it will be dark up there. If we are fortunate, everyone up there will assume we belong to the other ship’s crew.”

Steve nodded, relieved that he would have a moment to get over his dizziness. Jane was clinging to a corner of a table, looking dizzy herself. The captain’s quarters had been looted, leaving clothing, charts, and bedcovers scattered on the floor. Hunter quickly and quietly searched for clothing that would suit Jane. After a few moments, he tossed Jane some knee breeches, a loose, baggy linen shirt, and a vest.

Steve turned his back while Jane changed. When she had finished, Hunter gave her a large, red and white scarf. She tied it over her hair, in the style many of the buccaneers used. The clothing was loose and baggy on her.

“Well?” She looked back and forth between them.

“You’re too pretty to fool anybody,” said Steve. “But it’s dark up there.”

“Well, I’ll hide behind you two.”

“Good,” said Hunter. “I will lead the way. Only whisper after we leave this chamber. And only if necessary.”

Steve nodded and got to his feet.

“This time, Jane goes last,” Hunter added. He opened the door to the darkened passageway and stepped outside.

Steve followed him, glancing back over his shoulder repeatedly to make sure Jane was close behind. Hunter opened an outer door and the three of them moved up a steep staircase to the deck. Drunken buccaneers were singing in groups, or stumbling around laughing and joking; wooden chests had been brought up from below and broken open to reveal gold coin, silver coin, furs, and rolls of tobacco. Many of the pirates were already asleep on deck with their tankards still in their hands.

Hunter stepped up on deck and moved quietly to his right, into an empty corner. Steve followed him and saw that Jane came right behind them. Hunter pointed upward, to some voices he had apparently been tracking.

Now even Steve and Jane could hear two men talking on the level above them. Steve supposed it was another deck. Hunter signaled for silence. All three remained motionless on the creaking, swaying ship.

“You got out here in short order, Tomann,” said one man. “Not that I begrudge your coming. We’ve made a good haul here for every man.”

“Aye, Quinn. And once we agreed on an even split, the men stored most of it on our own ships quick enough. Come morning, they’ll clean up what’s left on deck here.”

“You know,” said Captain Quinn. “One of my men asked a Spaniard why their ship was all alone so near Jamaica.”

“Had to scare the truth out of him, I dare say.”

“Aye, well, the answer has possibilities.”

“Eh?”

“The Cadiz wasn’t alone. She was in a convoy protected by a Spanish warship, but a storm separated them a few days ago.”

“I say! That means some other fat chickens are nearby without a protector, just waiting for the likes of us.”

“But if we go on searching, then we’ll have to decide what to do with the Cadiz,” said Captain Quinn. “We know she should bring a fine price from someone should we take her back to Port Royal with us.”

“Aye.” Captain Tomann sighed. “Better to take home the prize we have first, as we’ve already agreed. A skeleton crew will be enough to take the Cadiz on the short trip home.”

“Well spoken, Tomann. I guess we both know that our buccaneer friends all know each other.”

“Aye, and their loyalty is to hard gold, not to you or me.” Tomann laughed harshly. “So long as we lead them to fat prizes, they’ll let us have the captain’s double share and take our orders grudgingly enough. But take them on one dry voyage, and they’ll slit our throats as fast as any pigeon’s.”

“Well, we’ve kept our heads one more day, Tomann.” Captain Quinn laughed, too, and clanked tankards with his companion. Then their footsteps clunked on the wooden boards as they strolled away.

Steve nudged Hunter. “You sail back on the Hungry Hawk,” he whispered. “Jane and I will join the skeleton crew on the Cadiz. That way, we’ll have someone on two out of the three ships to watch for MC 2.”

“I cannot allow this,” Hunter said firmly. “The increased danger to you is too great.”

“Listen, Hunter,” Jane whispered urgently. “You have to shift your First Law priorities. At this point, the danger of losing MC 2 completely is greater than ever. Steve and I can stick together and help each other. On the Cadiz, all the other crew members will think we came from the other ship.”

“That’s right,” said Steve. “Besides, one of the reasons you hired me is that I’m used to improvising. This is the kind of situation you hired me to handle.”

“We can function most safely as a team,” said Hunter. “That was also my plan.”

“Hunter, listen carefully,” said Jane. “What I mean is, you may have to prioritize your First Law imperatives. Steve and I may have to be sacrificed in order to maintain the future as it should be for everyone else.”