Klaw hit the back of his head and nose, but he still held tightly onto the poker, the only weapon that could keep him safe in a crisis.
He swung it fiercely into the darkness, hitting nothing. But the intruder did not take the opportunity to attack, instead lighting a coal oil lamp beside the bed.
"Uncle Bo?"
Klaw did not drop the poker; he was worried that the pain had caused hallucinations. It was reasonable to think so, given that his head had been hit twice in one day. But as the light dispersed the darkness, Uncle Bo's gaunt, angular face became more and more real. He held the kerosene lamp, smiling at Klaw, like a father returning from the sea, seeing his child after a long separation.
"Klaw, want to hit me?"
"Uncle Bo, how come it's you!" Klaw dropped the poker.
"I just got back, heard some things, and found my way here."
"How did you find me?"
"Zopel saw a red-haired man riding in a carriage through the dock. He wasn't sure if it was you. But I thought, seeing the red hair, there was no need for further verification."
"Uncle Bo, I... I was captured by that Lord Bard."
"Hmm, I heard." Uncle Bo nodded. "But no one is watching you now, why don't you run away?"
"I was cowardly...." Klaw told Uncle Bo everything that happened, without reservation, facing this elder, his benefactor, and creator.
"So it is, I told Eric long ago, you and Rat-Eye Shouldn't be working together." Uncle Bo sighed.
"It's not his fault, nor yours. Although you are both too astute,you are destined not to go the same way."
"Not his fault?" Klaw felt wronged. This strong man would not waver even in the face of a big stick and shackles—gallows excepted,That's too much to ask —but facing Uncle Bo's not-so-fair comment, his heartstrings began to tremble.
"Klaw, you're good at everything, but you care too much about benefits that haven't yet come to hand. If you were more astute, with your wisdom, how could you have fallen for Rat-Eye's tricks? He saw through this and was able to play you successfully. Times have changed; it's a world of the strong preying on the weak everywhere you look... Don't expect the guild to take your side, because the guild needs people like Rat-Eye, and it also needs people like you."
This was a very straightforward warning. Klaw was not convinced, but he was grateful for Uncle Bo's honesty.
"Well, in that case, I will show my own value, and I will make Rat-Eye regret everything he has done."
"The premise is that you know where Rat-Eye is..." Uncle Bo's smile faded, and he looked very worried.
"Klaw, I ask you, from the time you entered Lord Bard's mansion until now, have you seen or heard anything about Rat-Eye's whereabouts?"
"What? Did he run away with the money? That fool, the things Lord Bard auctioned are worthless, he can't live a lifetime on those trash."
"No, he didn't run away. Perhaps he had such plans, but he disappeared before he could carry out his plan. Four people witnessed him driving away from the Red Brick Tavern. But he didn't get to his hideout in the dock area; he just disappeared out of thin air. We found the broken carriage on the edge of the lower town, the horse was gone, but those 'trash' were still intact."
"It seems that even robbers have taste." Klaw said with resentment.
"Don't gloat, Klaw. This is also related to you. My deputy Mason received news a couple of weeks ago that this Lord Bard is constantly releasing news, as if deliberately enticing something. Yes, you may have heard it, a gold coin, a pirate's gold coin, can lead people to a huge treasure... You are willing to believe these rumors, right, Klaw?"
Klaw didn't speak, he didn't expect that the rhetoric he easily believed had been circulating in Silver Port for a long time... This is impossible, he walks the streets all day, but he has never heard of any pirate gold coin legend.
"I have my channels, but I didn't expect that you... or rather, Rat-Eye would actually take the bait. I have no doubt that the person who kidnapped him is the one Lord Bard wanted to catch, and he didn't let you wander the streets but settled you here. Frankly, I am grateful for that."
"I understand..." Klaw said. He noticed that Uncle Bo's lips had cracked from talking so much... No, that couldn't be from talking; he hadn't seen Uncle Bo for half a year. The guild leader, known as "Old Wolf," must have been working tirelessly for the collective interest, neglecting his own rest.
"Uncle Bo, where have you been these days?"
With some casual conversation, the atmosphere in the room became much fresher. Uncle Bo placed the kerosene lamp on the windowsill and asked Klaw to sit with him on the floor, which would be cooler.
"I haven't left Jamaica, but Governor Archibald Hamilton has been a constant worry. We are all subjects of Britain, but more and more evidence shows that our governor is colluding with criminals, plotting to cultivate his power, and eager to overthrow the king's rule."
Klaw paused for a moment and said, "We are criminals."
"Yes, but we are the king's criminals, that's different."
"Our King George is a German, he can't even speak English."
"That's not a reason to oppose him."
Klaw shrugged. Uncle Bo was an old-school conservative, while Klaw himself didn't have such a clear political inclination. Who ruled England was of no concern to him.
"In any case, I have been shuttling between Kingston and the volcanoes in the interior of Jamaica for the past six months. The guild is trying to secure mining rights there and is willing to pay any price to oppose Governor Archibald's expansion... I left the affairs of Silver Port to Mason to handle, and he did well, saving me a lot of trouble."
He glanced at Klaw, the implication was clear: if only Klaw could also save him some trouble.
"Don't talk about me, how have you guys been? Are the children doing well?"
"Well, the business in the dock area is getting by. Everyone is hungry, but not starving. And no one has been taken away by the press gangs. Yemil has learned to read a lot, he has a promising future. Although he is not as witty as Caspar, nor as sharp as Zopel, he is good at thinking and very good at making plans. As for us old-timers... you see, Rat-Eye is like that, and I am still the same. Eric has been working harder than before, he has a heavy burden, and I am a bit worried about him."
Uncle Bo listened patiently, nodding from time to time, frowning from time to time. This was a regional report from the past six months. Klaw represented their small group, telling Uncle Bo about their situation, advantages, and confusion in detail. He knew this was necessary and useful; as long as he had Uncle Bo's guidance, they would surely be able to overcome the difficulties.
"The guild has many connections in the lower city, where adults can work. It is foreseeable that there will be plenty of work in the lower city in the future, and there will be no worries about food and drink. Yemil can go to the school in the parish, and that is not a problem. As for you and Rat-Eye... I think I had better pay a polite visit to Lord Bard and see what the other party is up to."
"The leader of the guild goes directly to the merchant's home? This is very risky."
"He is planning a big operation, and I must personally confirm his intentions. This is happening in Silver Port, and I have the duty to understand it clearly."
"But..."
"There is not much time left." Uncle Bo opened his pocket watch and took a look, then he looked at Klaw with a seriousness he had never seen before.
"Klaw, I must confirm one thing with you... That gold coin, you didn't hide it, did you?"
Klaw was shocked, and he almost stood up, but the pain in his body stopped this action, also giving him room for maneuver, but he never lied to Uncle Bo, not before, not after.
"I... did not take Lord Bard's gold coin."
He was shocked again, for his recklessness, for his ungratefulness, both for fear and confusion. If this is also the magic of the gold coin, then he is already deeply involved and unable to extricate himself.
"That's good." Uncle Bo breathed a sigh of relief, he would not doubt the child he valued most, Klaw felt even more guilty, he wanted to immediately correct his words, but Uncle Bo had already stood up.
"I think Lord Bard must not be a very evil person, otherwise he would not have prepared such a comfortable refuge for you. Since you don't have that gold coin, it will inevitably appear elsewhere. Don't worry, stay here before that, I will talk to Lord Bard and see what he is scheming."
"Uncle Bo... you... don't work too hard." Klaw still didn't tell the truth. He didn't know why, he really didn't understand.
Uncle Bo walked out the door, the dock at night was still brightly lit, Lord Bard's ship was swaying in the sea, due to the tide, the already high stern seemed even more towering. Uncle Bo glanced at the ship and then rode his thin horse, going to the lower city alone.
Klaw watched Uncle Bo disappear into the dark, then went into the house and locked the door. He still had a lot of things to think about, and a heavy burden of conscience to bear.