Thomas woke up. It was a warm Tuesday morning in London, just after the church bells rung 6:00. His family lived in a modest apartment on one of the streets near the London Bridge, along with other merchants. His father sold leather from outside London, and had a reputation of honesty, but not of quality. His shop was located right on the big bridge, and drew a small crowd of even smaller leather craftsmen, who made belts and saddles for the peasants of London. Thus the Evans family never starved, but was never rich. His life was ordinary; there were no sword fights or cannons, and absolutely no adventure. However, in the summer of 1732, everything was going to change.

The man who entered the shop on the morning of Tuesday, June 17th, 1732 was a tall, dark complexioned man,with a sword slash on his left cheek and a blue serpent tattoo on his right wrist. The man simply reeked of the sea. Tom was alone in the shop. The man looked around the shop, then found Thomas. “Just like your father you look, boy,” grunted the man. “Where can I find him?” Before Tom could answer, the door was then opened forcefully as four policemen bolted in. “John Sprague, you’re under arrest!”

Lawrence Evans came to the shop at noon from a leather deal outside London. He was a short man with a big graying beard, that used to be black. His thirteen year old son was tall and blond; he looked more like his mother. “Good day, father” Said Tom. “Good day Tom. Any outstanding business this morning?” Lawrence still asked this question after years of the normal, negative answer. However, it was different today. When Lawrence Evans heard of the strange seaman, he went pale. “Are you sure you saw that tattoo, you weren’t imagining?” said Lawrence. “No” said Tom. “I was not imagining. But what is about that man? who is he?”

In one of the many prisons in London made for the lower class criminals, John was tied by chains, arms and legs. The door was opened to reveal two prison guards. “Mr. Sprague to questioning room number four!”

The officer in the room was an old and experienced officer. He dealt with many criminals before, and John Sprague was no exception. “Are you John Sprague, captain of the Prancing Seahorse?” asked the officer. He looked at John in a manner that left John only to tell the truth. “I was, officer” said the pirate. “I was mutinied and marooned.”

“Clara, please do hurry!” shouted Lawrence. “The ship might leave without us!”                                                          ”But where are we going?” asked Lawrence’s wife. She was carrying a bundle of their most necessary items.              ”Don’t ask too many questions dear. Now where’s Tom?”                                                                                           “Here, father.”                                                                                                                                                           “The boat to Southampton leaves in 10 minutes. We must be on it. I just heard news about, Hm” Lawrence’s expression was trying to hide the lies, “mountains and mountains of gold in the New World. A new and rich life for us!”                                                                                                                                                                           Tom did not believe his father.