The anchor chain clanked loudly as the Farriday’s anchor sank into the harbor at Casablanca. Below deck, three seamen huddled together unseen in the hold of the ship.
“We’re here,” Ignatius whispered, “we have to act now!”
“But how can ve go to look for the gold in the cave when ve are prisoners?”
“Wilhelm’s right! First, we have to come up with a plan to escape.” DeForest pounded his fist on a bale of cotton.
After a minute, Wilhelm said, “If ve can distract the pirates long enough, ve could launch the dinghy und row to shore.”
“How about a special drink!” Ignatius smiled. “Remember what you said about sailors, Wilhelm?”
“Ach, but my locker ist empty!”
The three men felt defeated but as Ignatius looked around the hold his eye spotted some unusual casks of liquor and cases of various liquids. “Look! Don’t those look promising?”
They went to work creating an unusual drink with ingredients they found in the hold.
1 piece Fresh Ginger Root, about 3 inches, diced
1 Star Anise
3 peppercorns Whole Black Peppercorns
3 Whole Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups Good Quality Rum
Fill a 16-ounce jar with ginger root, star anise, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla extract. Fill jar with rum.
Strain rum through a fine-meshed strainer into a bowl. Decant back into jar.
The pirate first mate and three others were in the captain’s quarters. Only two pirates were on duty on deck. Ignatius took a generous amount of their newly created libation to the captain’s quarters feigning cooperation and seeking to curry favor. DeForest and Wilhelm went to the two pirates on deck and casually mentioned that the others were celebrating their arrival and drinking in the captain’s quarters. They soon abandoned their posts. DeForest and Wilhelm quickly began lowering the dinghy.
“What’s taking Ignatius so long?” Wilhelm looked around anxiously.
“Here he comes.” DeForest pointed, “Let’s go!”
The three men had rowed clear of the Farriday when they heard shouting and then cheering from the schooner.
“What’s that?” DeForest asked.
“That would be the men of the Farriday retaking command of their ship.” Ignatius answered. “I let the officers out of the unguarded brig before we left.”
The three men laughed. DeForest and Wilhelm hauled on the oars – to shore – to North Africa – and to a great adventure.