He quickly sat up straight and rubbed his eyes.
Van Augur frowned slightly and said, "Look!"
"Someone's appeared on the deck of that little Red Hair Pirates ship!"
Van Augur pointed at the ship, surprise on his face.
The other Division Commanders were puzzled by his sudden reaction.
They all turned toward the distant ship.
In an instant, the Division Commanders shook off their buzz and sobered up.
Foxy cried out, "Isn't that Ben Beckman, the Red Hair Pirates' First Mate?"
"So he was aboard after all!"
Apoo bared his two front teeth and nodded. "That's right. It's Ben Beckman, the Red Hair Pirates' First Mate!"
"He must have been belowdecks earlier, out of sight."
"Now that they're about to come alongside, he's come out."
Kuro adjusted his glasses, a glint in his eyes.
He smiled. "At last, I get to see him in person!"
"Ben Beckman—the Pirate said to have the sharpest mind in the world!"
"And he's pulled it off again!"
Kuro had seen straight through Beckman's little scheme this time.
Without lifting a finger, Beckman had added to the Red Hair Pirates' aura of menace.
Only Beckman could have thought of it—and had the nerve to do it.
Beckman had once been the Pirate Kuro admired most.
Law rose slowly with Kikoku in his arms and walked to the railing.
Watching Beckman, he said quietly, "Good thing we didn't attack them."
"The Red Hair Pirates' First Mate showing himself proves how seriously they take us—and how much respect they're showing us."
"If we'd attacked rashly, it really would have backfired!"
Lafitte pressed down the brim of his hat. "More than that, Beckman's strength is unfathomable."
"If anyone had dared attack them just now, whether they'd have made it back is another question!"
"Beckman didn't become the First