I felt younger now. Scared and a little dizzy, but Will was strong and he carried me up the gangplank and onto the ship, then below deck to the infirmary. Rosie stayed with me, as she promised she would, and I was especially grateful for that when Will set me down on one of the beds and then went to fetch the doctor.

I knew what they were going to do. I had done it myself for other boys. Not for injuries like this, but for deep cuts that couldn't otherwise be closed.

"The doctor is going to rinse the blood and dirt away," I said to Rosie. "And then he's going to cauterize it. It's the only thing they can do here to properly stop the bleeding. It's going to be awful and you- you don't need to stay for that part. It's okay, I'll be okay, as long as I know you're nearby."