A More Than Fair Exchange - 2nd Half

Here's the 2nd HALF of this interesting 2-part piece - thanks for reading the entire poem. :) Aware that he was gambling with the lives of all on board by sticking with his strategy to run the ship aground - And knowing well that even if they made it to that shore - and if, in fact, a rescue ship had actually turned around - Their likelihood for finding them was very slim to none, plus...navigating back to where their vessel’d last been seen And finding only remnants of - a ship that had been sunk - would cause them to assume what such debris can only mean! Guessing that the Hercules had, sadly, fallen prey to those who plunder solo ships, he knew that all they’d do Was circle ‘round the void in which they felt they might retrieve the Captain - if they’d let him live - and members of his crew. Their only two alternatives - abandoned ship and pray - or make a run for what appeared an answer to their prayers - Both knew well the Hercules was definitely going down! And knowing that, without a doubt - deprived of her repairs - Only those who’d wisely grabbed a means to stay afloat, and - by the grace of God - were quickly found would have survived - He was feeling justified in what he’d chose to do, and - sure that...had they waited for what help had just arrived... Given how the sea disperses all that can’t resist...and all deployed, if unprepared, are subject to its will... Every mate on board, in time, would surely have succumbed to victim-hungry, frigid waves that seem inclined to kill, He knew that, short of searching -- on a hunch they hadn’t sank -- and finding, fairly soon, the place to where their ship had fled... Every next of kin, within a month, would have been right in guessing all who’d been on board the Hercules - was dead. But shortly after disembarking - Captain Clark beside him - standing at the water’s edge, where they’d just breached the shore - Through his tears, the telescope displayed a fellow vessel gliding in to where they’d been attacked just hours before. Then, to their amazement, as he strained to watch it move, the long-expected patron - that he knew was from their fleet - Suddenly drew her bow around and filled her every sail to make a run they prayed was worth their effort to complete. And knowing what they’d found when they’d arrived at - where they’d been... then seeing them, through grateful eyes, en route to - where they were... Merely served to emphasize the more than fair exchange the Hercules was off’ring to the men who’d served on her. Once aboard the "Flying Fish", as customarily done, Captain Clark had Bosun Brooks anoint his ship with tar... Confiscate the Union Jack, shift what could be held, then lay a trail of powder to a battle-splintered spar, Say the prayer that sailors do, then set the ship on fire. With head-wear doffed and heavy hearts, and every man on board, Captain Clark - standing aft - dressed in full regalia - stood until the fire’d gone out, saluting with his sword. While persons unfamiliar with the grip that “open water” tends to have on sailors are perplexed and think it strange... Those who gladly sacrifice their lives to sail the sea feel, without exception, it’s a more than fair exchange. Thanks to all who stuck with me...BTW - my 4 new Audio-CDs of verse are on ebay, and I've posted several other pieces on YouTube as well. Cheers, Mark writerofbooks.com