Echo's Haven
Macaw Rescue
Sanctuary
The Complete
Bird Community
Our goal is to provide a free-flight home for formerly abused, unwanted or problem Macaws.
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Echo's Haven |
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Our goal is to provide a free-flight home for formerly abused, unwanted or problem Macaws. |
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Let's see.....
Yes, gentle readers, when last we left Marcus, the Iron Beak of Death, he was in command of a 36 gun frigate of the Royal Navy and was closing with a 74 gun French ship of the line. This is virtually certain doom. What will Captain Marcus do? We rejoin our story:
Marcus stared at the French ship. At the rate of closure, they would meet in less than an hour. There was much to do. Then, Marcus' sensitive ears picked up a rumble of discontent from the crew.
"Surrender" muttered one seaman, "We'll go to Davy Jones Locker for sure if we don't".
"Aye" whispered another, "Even Captain Marcus can't pull us out of this fix".
Marcus' mind raced. There was a chance he could successfully battle the Frenchman, but only if his crew's mind was taken off the woefully unequal struggle ahead. Quickly Marcus snapped out "Arrrrwaak". "MikeE on deck".
The order was repeated down into the forecastle. MikeE came running up still trying to wrap a rag around his bleeding finger. "Yes sir, Captain" MikeE panted, tugging on his forelock in respect.
"Sqakkkkark" ordered Marcus. MikeE looked startled, but hastened to obey and as he squatted and duck walked about the quarter deck making quacking sounds, the crew looked on nudged each other in the ribs, grinning.
At exactly the right moment, Marcus bit MikeE on the toe and MikeE leaped high into the air to land asprawl in the scuppers. The crew roared its laughter and approval. Then, in high spirits once again, they set to work.
The battle was hard and bloody. Through a series of sly tricks and personal courage, (Marcus at one critical moment cut through an inch thick hemp line from a fallen yard with a single chomp of his powerful beak) Marcus had managed to lay his ship against the side of the French vessel and at once ordered his crew to board.
Grappling hooks flew through the air and up swarmed Marcus and the crew. Cutlasses, marlin spikes, pistols were put into play and men struggled in grim silence. Although greatly outnumbered, by force of greater elan, Marcus' crew pressed forward and at last confronted the French captain. Marcus saw with dismay that the French captain had prepared a final defense. There confronting them was a 32 lb carronaide, it's muzzle gaping wide and the French captain holding the lanyard with a crazed expression on his face.
Faster than the enemy could react to, Marcus called out "Rrkawwwk" and as one man 6 crew members picked up MikeE and stuffed him head first into the carronaide's muzzle. The French captain reeled back in despair, with the muzzle blocked, the carronaide would explode if fired. Knowing himself to be beaten, he then surrendered his sword, his ship, his crew, and himself, to the victor. "Mmmmphphf." said MikeE his head still stuffed into the carronaide.
Marcus stood once again on the deck of his severely battered ship. The French crew was secured below, the enemy ship was given a prize crew and sailed in company with the much smaller frigate. Marcus knew he had won a victory the likes of which had never been seen on the high seas before, but....at a terrible price. The remnants of Marcus' crew moved slowly, with shoulders slumped, eyes, downcast. Marcus knew something had to be done.
"Kreeekkk" he commanded. MikeE rushed, limped and said "I washed them Captain, I swear." And held out his hands...
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