Summary

Barney Willard waits on the waterfront in Seville, hoping to hear information from his Uncle about their losses. The beach is crowded with shops and vessels. Barney loves riding on ships, despite the terrible food, crowded spaces, and storms. The author explains Barney is living with his cousin Carlos Cruz, a weapons manufacturer who buys everything that Barney’s mother sends to Seville. However, as their ships were not arriving, Carlos needed to buy from other arrivals. A giant ship called the Hawk that Barney guesses is Philbert Cobley’s arrives. Captain Bacon’s first mate Jonathan ties the boat to the dock, and Barney hopes the new arrival has some information. Jonathan always told him stories of Africa, Russia, and America and his time on the sea. Jonathan had become a seaman at 15 when he had gotten so drunk that he woke...