Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans (7 page)

Two seconds later, we landed on what looked like a cobblestone street behind some large crates and barrels. As we peered out from behind the cargo we immediately saw a large sailing vessel about a hundred feet in length and twenty-five feet wide that was moored alongside a stone wharf. Three tall masts with square-rigged sails stood like the queen’s guards at Buckingham Palace as men, women, and children carrying few possessions walked down a dozen or so stone steps and then crossed over a wooden gangplank to board the ship.

“That’s it!” I exclaimed. “That’s the legendary
Mayflower
with the original Pilgrims as they board to sail to the New World! This is truly an exceptional moment for America. This little ship with a hundred and two passengers is going to cross the wide Atlantic Ocean, more than three thousand miles, with no guarantee that they’re going to make it. Imagine how nervous or scared you might feel.”

“Thank you, Captain Positive, for the pep talk,” said Liberty.

“Let’s try and board with the Pilgrims,” I said. “Liberty, I doubt they’ll let a horse on the ship so you’ll need to follow closely behind and stay under cover.”

“Ten-four. Going into stealth mode in three, two, one,” Liberty said as he took a giant breath and disappeared.

“How will we get on if they have a passenger list?” asked Tommy as we walked toward the ship. “What if they don’t have any more room for two more passengers?”

“I happen to know that many of the Pilgrims had second thoughts about traveling to the New World and decided to stay in England,” I said.

“You mean they were nervous or scared about going?” Tommy asked.

I nodded, then continued. “Yes, and I imagine others were persuaded not to go by family or friends. Or perhaps the trip from Holland to England made them realize that a longer voyage to the New World would be more than they could handle. Right up before the
Mayflower
left for the New World there were many passengers who changed their minds and ‘jumped ship,’ as they say.”

“Well, then, they might be happy to see us,” Tommy said.

As we reached the gangplank William Bradford recognized me and said, “Rush Revere! It does my heart good to see you again. And is this the person you were waiting for in Holland?” He smiled affectionately while straightening Tommy’s brown leather hat.

“Yes, this is Tommy,” I said as I put my arm around Tommy’s shoulder. “His parents are gone so I’ll be caring for him on this voyage.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tommy,” Bradford said as he reached out his hand to Tommy, who shook it. William turned back to me and said, “Let’s talk some more after the ship sets sail. The captain is very eager to leave. He says the winds are perfect. We’re just waiting for one more family and . . . oh, here they come. Wonderful. We should be leaving in a minute or two.”

“We’ll wait for you on deck. It’ll be an honor to talk some more with you,” I said with great enthusiasm.

We continued past William and crossed the gangplank to board the
Mayflower.
As I stepped onto the upper deck a chill went through my body. The kind of sensation you get when you walk into the front gates of Disneyland. Or the feeling you have when you wake up knowing that it’s Christmas morning!

“Unbelievable,” said Tommy. “I just checked my phone and it says I have service. Not sure how that’s possible but I think I’ll send Freedom a text from the
Mayflower.
Let’s walk over closer to the bow where we can take a picture without anyone watching. Plus if Liberty is behind us he’ll want a place to get another breath of air.”

“Good idea,” I said.

Seagulls flew overhead, their calls competing with about a hundred or so passengers who were crowded near the aft and starboard quarter of the ship. I assumed they were calling to family and friends who were standing near the steps of the wharf. The sailors were calling back and forth to each other as large sails plumed from the square rigging. It was time to sail. The gangplank had disappeared and the ship was no longer anchored to the wharf. We were drifting out to sea!

As the ship rocked leeward for the first time, Tommy stumbled to the ship’s railing as if he had just entered an ice-skating rink without ever having ice-skated.

“I’m good,” he said. “I guess I don’t have my sea legs yet. I’ll get the hang of it.” He let go of the railing and balanced himself with his hands out to his sides as if he were surfing. “This is so awesome.”

I smiled at Tommy as he continued to “surf” but I was also curious to know where Liberty was. I called, “Liberty?” There was
no sight of him and no answer. I looked over the ship’s railing to see if I could spot him somewhere on the wharf. I didn’t see him. Tommy saw the concern in my eyes. Oh boy, I thought. It’s one thing to lose a cat or dog. But I wasn’t sure how to start searching for a lost magical horse!

T
he captain don’t
like passengers snoopin’ around his ship!” someone yelled behind us.

We spun around and saw a sailor who wore an off-white long-sleeved shirt, a dingy orange vest, and a dark blue knit cap. He had a black scraggly beard and a thin scar along the side of his cheek. He climbed down off the forecastle and landed sure-footed on the upper deck of the
Mayflower.

“We’re just, um, exploring the ship. Is there a problem?” I asked in my most convincing British accent.

The sailor looked at us as if he was still digesting what he saw. In a gruff voice he said, “Yeah, you’re the problem. You’re another Puritan, aren’t you.”

It didn’t sound like a question, nor did it sound friendly, but I responded anyway. “We’re traveling with the Puritans as they travel to the New World, if that’s what you’re asking.”

As the sailor walked closer I had a déjà vu moment. He
looked very familiar. Had we met before? Perhaps he looked like someone from the future. I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“I’m sick and tired of all you Puritans,” the sailor said. “I’m sick of your praying and your holier-than-thou attitude. You should’ve all stayed in Plymouth with the others. Better yet, I wish the
Speedwell
would’ve sunk and taken the lot of you with her. It was bad enough having some of you on the
Mayflower.
Now I’m stuck with all of you.”

I must admit I was surprised by this sailor’s hatefulness against the Puritans.

The sailor gave a wicked smile and said, “I guess there’s one good reason to have you on board.”

“That’s the spirit,” I said.

Tommy nudged me and whispered, “I don’t think this is going to be a compliment.”

The sailor continued: “We’ll have plenty of food for the sharks!” He laughed.

Suddenly, I remembered where I’d seen him. Of course—he was the sailor that I encountered the first time I had time-traveled to the
Mayflower.
How could I forget the person who almost threw me overboard? Obviously, he wouldn’t remember that first meeting, because for him that part of history hadn’t happened yet.

Just then Liberty appeared directly in front of the sailor, deliberately snorted, took another deep breath, and then disappeared.

I think I was just as surprised as the sailor. On second thought, maybe not. The sailor had slimy horse snot oozing down his face.

“What the . . . where did . . . that was a . . . ,” the sailor muttered as he tried to wipe away the snot.

“Rush Revere!” a voice called from the front of the ship.

The sailor quickly went about his business as if he had not been talking with us. I turned around to see who had called my name. I was thrilled to see my Pilgrim hero William Bradford walking toward me with his wife, Dorothy.

“Rush, you joined us in the nick of time,” said William.

“Yes, well, better late than never,” I said, laughing.

We all had to catch our balance as the bow of the ship plowed over a wave. A light spray of water splashed over the ship’s railing. The large sails of the
Mayflower
no longer rippled like they did closer to the coast. Out in the open ocean they billowed like parachutes, pushing the boat westward.

William said, “You get used to that after a while. Have you had time to tour the ship?”

“No, not really,” I said. “I was just talking with Tommy. He’s a bit lonely without his horse. But there really isn’t any room for a horse on the
Mayflower,
is there?” I asked, hoping I’d get the answer I was looking for.

“Unfortunately, no,” said William. “The only place I can think of where a horse might fit and stay protected from the wind and waves is the capstan room.”

Bingo.

“What’s a capstan?” asked Tommy.

“And where’s the capstan room?” I asked, hoping Liberty was paying attention.

“The room is located on this deck but it’s at the aft of the ship. The capstan is kind of a pulley,” said William. “It’s used to move heavy cargo between decks.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Very interesting. Well, I’m hopeful we can find and train another horse when we get to the New World.”

“How many decks are there on the
Mayflower
?” asked Tommy. “I mean, where do people sleep?”

“Good question,” said William. He pointed toward the top aft end of the ship, “That up there is the quarterdeck. That’s where you’ll find the captain’s cabin. The deck we’re standing on is the upper deck. The galley or ship’s kitchen is to the bow.”

I knew Liberty wasn’t around or he would have asked for a personal tour of the kitchen and then he would have volunteered to be the
Mayflower
’s official taste tester!