The Voyage of the Sea Wolf (15 page)

Frenchy leaned on the oar. “I will come wi' ye as far as the shore. I'll find help for Ronan if he's still in need of it. After that I'll be on me way, Ronan. I likes to be on me own.”

“What will you do?” I asked.

“There will be another vessel for me. 'Twill be another pirate ship, sailin' on new waters. Pirating is all I know.”

I was shivering and William reached over and cautiously drew me close. I hugged him gently, and then picked up the oars.

We will survive, I thought, as Frenchy and I pulled toward the shore. We will make our way back to Port Teresa and we will have the life we planned in the despairing closeness of Pox Island. We will build our own ship or perhaps we will live in my dear old home and have two little goats like Daisy and Pansy. I will go with William to my mother's grave on Cobb Hill and I will stand at her resting place and play for her the song she loved. I will tell her of my father and how he died, protecting me. As time passes my fear of islands will fade, as the smell of gun smoke is fading now.

The bulk of the
Isabella
lay asleep in the sand, a snake, satisfied with its kill, ready if another thief should come to steal her treasure. That is the way it is with pirates. I had always thought I wanted to be one, but then I was young and untried and ignorant. I am still young, but I have learned what I want in life and it is not this.

I shook my head to clear it of old thoughts and pulled on the oars, pulling away from the past, rowing, with William beside me, into our future.

Eve Bunting
grew up in Ireland—a country of storytellers—and came to California in 1958 with her husband and three small children. Her first book, an Irish folktale, was published in 1972. Since then she has written more than 250 books for children of all ages, from picture books to young adult novels, as well as non-fiction. She enjoys writing all types of stories for young readers, including those that address social issues.

Eve Bunting's books have won many awards and honors over the years, including the Golden Kite award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the Edgar from the Mystery Writers of America, and awards from twenty-seven states voted on by children. She is a two-time winner of the California Young Reader Medal. In 2006 she won the first Arab American Book Award for One Green Apple, illustrated by Ted Lewin. Eve Bunting and her husband live in Pasadena, California. They now have six grandchildren.

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