"So, Captain... Sparrow, was it? You want off my island. Which is convenient because I want you off my island." I considered the bedraggled figure. He'd been drinking my rum, damn his eyes, and not much else by the look of him. Sunburned even beyond the usual sailor's weathering, clothes reduced to rags, face drawn with thirst and desperation. I decided I didn't begrudge him the rum. "However, I don't make a habit of doing something for nothing. What've you got to buy your passage?"

He looked down for a moment. "I've a pistol, though I'll have a use for that later."

"I have plenty of pistols. What else?"

"What about this?" He held up a hank of his hair where a coin glinted.

"Perhaps." I looked at his neck where the open collar of his shirt showed an interesting trinket strung on a leather thong. I pointed to it. "I'll take that and call it fair."

Sparrow closed a fist around the little jewel. "You don't want this, mate. It only has value to me."

"If it has value to you, then it has value to me as well." I held out my hand.

The pirate looked at me with eyes gone huge and dark, fist still clutching his treasure. I almost pulled my hand back. Almost.

Sparrow yanked hard and the thong broke. He dropped the piece into my hand. "Take it then, if that's what'll buy me freedom. But I'll be back for it one day." I watched him walk to his small pile of belongings and gather up boots and hat.

I looked down at the pearl nestled in my palm. It was perfectly round, lustrous, and black as tar. I tied it around my neck. As I looked up I saw Sparrow watching me.

"That's two I've lost." He pursed cracked lips. "But I'll have 'em both back." And with that he grinned at me and ambled toward the boat pulled up to the beach.