18. Companions

CHAPTER 18

COMPANIONS

          “Well then,” Hantuman summarized the essential elements of the current standoff.  “Here’s the bottom line, Tyreantum.  Our futures, yours and mine, really depend on each other.  You’re risking your life that I bring both you and this ship to the land northward on time.  How foolish!  I’m relying on hope, that once we do get to the land northward, there is still something I can do to save Lehi.”

          “In your idealistic mind, I suppose,” Tyreantum consented.  “But at least my risk is worth it for all the riches I will make!  Great riches don’t come without some risk.  You, Hantuman, on the other hand, are the bigger fool.  Only an insane, religious fool risks his own belongings with the false hope that they will spare the life of another!”

          Spitting with disgust, Tyreantum spurted out, “Lehi’s life is not worth your noble intentions!”

          “So there we have it then.  Get out of my way and stay out of my way!” commanded Hantuman.

Hantuman pushed Tyreantum aside to get to Nephi.  He untied the rope from Nephi’s waist.  He put his arm carefully around Nephi and supported him on his feet.  Nephi was not able to walk without Hantuman’s support.  Hantuman brought Nephi into his own private compartment near the stern of the ship.  There he placed him into his own hammock.

          Hantuman stayed with Nephi that night and nursed him as much as he could.  With the dawn of the fourth day, he saw that his patient was already much improved.  He warmed some soup in the small fireplace that was built into the private compartment for the captain of the ship.

          “Good morning, Nephi.”  Hantuman spoke to Nephi when he saw that he was waking up.  “You’ve been asleep for a long time.  You had me a little worried.”

          “What?  I did?”  Nephi dreamily began to remember where he was and what had happened.

          “Yeah.  But hurray!  You are looking much better to me this morning.  Your skin color is finally normal again, and I haven’t heard your insides rumble for a while now.  Try some of this potato soup I prepared for you this morning.  I think you will be able to keep it down all right.  You kept down the broth I had you sip last night.  You are feeling better this morning after a good night’s sleep.  Right?”

          Nephi remembered that Hantuman had helped him by getting him into his own hammock the day before.  Before he was fully awake, it seemed like a bad dream.  Remembering that it was real did not please him.

          “Thank you for helping me yesterday, Hantuman.”

          “No thanks required.”  Hantuman had a cheerful spirit and seemed eager to do anything he could for Nephi.  “I am the one who must beg for your forgiveness though.  I should never have let this happen in the first place.  If I had any idea what Tyreantum and the others were doing to you, I would have thrown them off the ship right from the start.”

          “Oh, dear brother, it’s not your fault.  You had no way of knowing.  You’re too kind as it is to bring me back here with you.   You’ve done more than enough.  And I think I am feeling better inside, not nearly as queasy today as before.”

          “Hallelujah for that.  Let me see you eat a good breakfast today.  You must be famished after hardly eating a thing for three days.”

          “I am.  Thanks.  I do think I’ll try eating again if you don’t mind.  That soup smells wonderful.  Tyreantum may have left a bruise on the outside, but I think the hurt on the inside might go away with some nourishment.”

          “Great!  Glad to hear that.” 

          Hantuman served Nephi a soup that was a mix of potatoes with goat’s milk, cheese, and chunks of fish.  Nephi ate and felt better.

          When Nephi was about to finish his second bowl, Hantuman hoped the moment was suitable and he ventured to ask Nephi a question.  “So, why is it that Tyreantum was so determined to hurt you?  Did you ever do anything to him?”

          Nephi stopped eating his soup.  He looked in bemusement at Hantuman.  “Oh.  You don’t know, do you?  Well, of course not.  I forget that you grew up in the land northward.  You wouldn’t know our history in the land of Zarahemla.”

          “No.  I don’t.  But since you are from Zarahemla, and I’ve been told that Tyreantum is originally from Zarahemla, I take it that you have a history.”

          “Well, we do.  Tyreantum and I have battled in the past.  It’s not pleasant for me to remember.”

          “That’s fine.  Please forgive me.  Forget that I even wanted to know.”

          “It’s all right, brother.  Lehi never told you about Tyreantum?”

          “No, why?  Told me what?”

          “That he killed my wife!”

          “Oh, Nephi!  I didn’t know!  I’m so sorry!”

“There wasn’t enough substantial evidence to convict him at the judgment-seat and Alumon made sure he was judged to be innocent.  Afterward, Tyreantum and Alumon saw opportunities to band together and grow rich in the land northward, and apparently they have succeeded.  I gave up the position as chief judge in order to consecrate all my time to preach the word of God to my people.”

          Nephi finished his second bowl of soup.  Neither Hantuman nor Nephi spoke.  They sat in sorrowful silence for several minutes.

          Then, Hantuman just had to break the silence.  “Can I ask you one last question about Tyreantum?  Don’t you hate him?  How do you let him get away with it?  Can’t you have God strike him down in punishment?  He deserves it!”

          “What!?  And lose my own soul for the sake of revenge?  Oh, I struggle to resist the temptation.  My son asked me essentially the same question.  No.  I must leave Tyreantum’s fate in God’s hands.  The Spirit has constrained me from stretching forth my hand against Tyreantum for the time being.  God will eventually make things right.  The blood of the innocent shall someday stand as a witness against him, and at the last day, the judgment of God shall be just.  But, for now, sometimes we must endure suffering because of the wickedness of others.”

          “May I ask a question of you, Hantuman?”  Nephi was anxious to switch the topic to something else.

          “Sure.  Go ahead.”

          “Who told you about Tyreantum’s plan to steal your boat, not pay you for the timber, and take me to Lehi’s captors?”

          “Nobody!  Come to think of it.  That was amazing, wasn’t it!?  It seems as though the Spirit revealed it to me in that very moment when I was speaking.  And it’s true because he ended up confessing to everything I said.”

          “Yes.  I thought so.”

          Nephi stood up as if he were going to leave.  He was not used to having somebody else look after him and take care of him.  “Thank you, brother.  That was delicious.  I am feeling much better today, and…”

          “Sit back down!  Where in the world do you think you are going?”  Hantuman was not going to allow Nephi to return to the compartments for the other passengers.  “You’re not going anywhere yet!  And especially not back with Tyreantum and his buddies.

          “You know, it’s actually kind of ironic.  You’re just like your brother, Lehi, aren’t you Nephi?  The first time I met him, he was famished and discouraged.  But a stranger had said to me that a prophet of God would find me, and that I should take him to my home.  That turned out to be the best thing I ever did.  Now I get to do that all over again for you, Nephi.  You’re staying here with me for the rest of our voyage!”

          “Hah.  I will have to call you Amulek from now on.”

          Hantuman smiled appreciatively at that comment from Nephi.  Then he announced, “Before you woke, I checked the direction of the wind, the weather, and the condition of the sea.  Looks like a clear day of sailing ahead.  We appear to be on course.”

          “And where are we on course to?” asked Nephi.

          “What!?”  Hantuman was obviously confused by Nephi’s strange question.  “Did Tyreantum knock away your memory?  We’re on course to the land northward, of course.”

          “I see.”  Nephi explained the reason for his question.  “Wouldn’t it make more sense now to turn back to the land of Zarahemla and keep your property?  Tyreantum and his robbers in the land northward will carry out their plan.  It doesn’t matter to them that it is no longer a surprise.”

          “I know that,” replied Hantuman.  “Do you think that I would value my property as more worth to me than Lehi’s life?  Heaven forbid!  If there is any chance at all to save Lehi, I’ll do anything in my power to rescue him.  Yes, we’re on course for the land northward.  I expect to see land in a few days.”

          “Bless you for your faithful commitment,” said Nephi.  “Not only am I feeling better physically after being fed by you, I’m also feeling better emotionally about one concern.”

          “What would that be?” asked Hantuman.

          “That Lehi is indeed still alive.  Your personal sacrifice to rescue Lehi will be worth it.”

          “Why is that?  How can you be sure?”

          “Because I can see that God’s hand is in it.  Tyreantum would not have confessed if he thought Lehi was already dead.  So, despite his evil plan, this adds to my faith that God will help us.”

          Hantuman made sure that Tyreantum or the other passengers had no further occasion to abuse Nephi.  Tyreantum and the others kept to themselves for the most part.  When Nephi or Hantuman passed near a group of them in conversation, they would quickly change whatever topic they had been discussing, and exchange simple greetings, make comments about the weather, or ask questions about the progress of the voyage.  As soon as Nephi or Hantuman was again out of hearing distance, more intense and serious discussions resumed.

The standoff needed to be resolved eventually.  But until they reached the land northward, nothing could be done about it.

          Nephi used this time to observe and to learn from Hantuman how to navigate the ship.  Hantuman helped him to see how, despite the lack of any landmarks amid a vast ocean of water, it was still possible to know where you were and where you were headed.

Hantuman explained how a blind man can learn to see without his eyes.  You just had to “see” using your other senses.  Nephi began to see things in the sea.  For example, slightly different colors in the water meant different currents. Different currents meant steering the ship in a different direction.  Although they were a great distance from land, birds were sometimes seen flying overhead.  Hantuman always noted in which direction they were flying, and whether it was morning or evening.

Nephi learned how the different clouds would bring different winds, and he learned how to set the sails depending on the direction and the strength of the wind.  Hantuman showed Nephi how to steer the ship according to the motion of the waves, particularly how to keep the ship on course even when pushed back by higher waves.

          The stars guided them each night.  When the sky was clear or had just a few clouds, Nephi recognized the stars that over time had become so familiar to him.  He wasn’t sure if it was because they were on a ship in the middle of the sea and far away from land, or if it was the extra darkness of the night, but it seemed that new stars were also appearing.

          One night, after Nephi and Hantuman had looked at the stars and completed a routine check to ensure that everything was in order, they prepared the hammocks and were about to lie down for the night.  A light knock on the door to Hantuman’s private compartment surprised them.

Hantuman opened the door to find Moriancom standing nervously on the other side.