The little wooden boat lurched into the edge of a reef. Ace leaped up, landing with both feet on the scorching sand.
He could not spare the time to brush the sand off his trousers. Both hands pressed hard against his shriveled belly, and the cramps in his stomach turned his face pale.
"Meat... even a tough piece of dried cured meat would do."
Ace staggered past a patch of low bushes.
The deserted island did not look very large. Apart from a few crooked trees and piles of rocks, there seemed to be nothing alive.
He raised his head and looked past the rocks, discovering a sizable three-masted merchant ship anchored in a natural harbor on the other side of the island.
A trading company's flag hung from the ship. On deck, several sailors were busy moving barrels, and a faint scent of wheat drifted through the air.
"People! Thank goodness!"
Ace's eyes lit up as though he had spotted his salvation, and he scrambled toward the beach.
"Hey, everyone on the ship! Could you spare something to eat?"
Standing on the shore, Ace waved both arms and shouted.
His voice was a little hoarse from dehydration, but it still carried far across the silent island.
The sailors on deck stopped working and eyed the boy who had suddenly appeared warily.
A burly leader with a face full of stubble walked to the rail, holding a short gun for protection.
"Where did you come from, kid? This place isn't a tourist attraction."
The leader looked Ace over.
Ace wore a shabby shirt and carried a pack. He looked like a fisherman who had fallen on hard times, not a vicious pirate.
Ace stopped, braced his hands on his knees, and panted, forcing a strained smile onto his face.
"Sir,