⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵...(Tour of "High Island")...Continued...
[Last time...]
“Okay, then I'm fine. I hope I continue to receive my pension…”
Leyla shook her head as she slowly began to unpack the food that she prepared that morning. It was clear that something must have happened to this young sailor…something traumatic.
(See: @joshuaslane/silver-adventures-captain-joshua-slane-29au25-an-anonymous-bid )
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[On the Youngstown wharf…front and center La Serpent…]
”Four thousand, three hundred ounces!” A slender man in a black jacket with spectacles called out.
The crowd murmured loudly! Few settlers in Youngstown could tread water in this territory and the auction was now the entertainment of the town. Men of all backgrounds now carried their ale back to the wharf to watch the heated exchange.
“We have four thousand, three hundred!” Lieutenant Gratefuleveryday yelled out loudly, “Do I hear forty-five hundred?!”
A hush fell over the crowd again. It seemed that the auction had boiled down to three wealthy men- a prominent land owner who had thousands of acres around town under til, a famous local trader who was known to have ties with towns as far as De Troit in the Michigan Territory and three Indian nations, and a distinguished banker who oversaw the Youngstown bank, the Mississauga bank and a sizable bank in St. Catherines.
Spectators whispered amongst themselves as they sipped their ale. These pauses stretched out from brief minutes to nearly half an hour as messengers were seen coming and going from the wharf, likely bringing news of more financial support from business partners. (To become the sole owner of the only real vessel on Great Lake Ontario was a prestigious statement indeed!)
“Four thousand…eight hundred ounces!” The big man in the blue vest yelled out.
The crowd roared!
“Top that banker!” A local farmer yelled.
”High as a kite!” Another drunken soul yelled out gleefully.
“A lifetime’s salary!! Who will beat that?!”
The big man gloated over his offering, chewing steadily on his rolled cigar and smiling widely at the banker. Then a sudden disruption broke the tension…the ship’s bell rang out loudly! The sun was laying low in the sky and the forest shadows were falling across the Niagara faster by the minute.
From high up in the bridge of the Silverton the Captain called out in a deep voice…
”Fower bells in th' First Dug watch! We will end th' auction haur fur taday! Biddin' will resume at eight bells in th' Morn watch!”
Confusion broke out on the wharf! There was the shaking of heads and even fists as Lieutenant Gratefuleveryday stepped down from the podium and nodded to his two guards to step away.
“What’s he saying?!” An angry man yelled out, splashing most of his ale on the shoulder of another.
“What’s it mean?!!” Another shouted with a clenched fist shaking wildly at the podium.
Grateful stopped a moment and held up his arms to settle the growing discontent…
”Six o’clock people! The auction will now shut-down until eight o’clock tomorrow morning!” He yelled out as he moved, “Keep on keeping on!” He whispered to his two companions.
“Boooo!”
”Fun robbers!”
”You Skully Swins!” The crowd yelled out in disappointment as the Lieutenant and his men hurriedly made their way back to the Silverton.
Though most of the crowd was angry at ending their fun, three smaller groups of men were huddled in a private chat- the traders, the landowners and the banker’s men.
The big man in the blue vest sneered haughtily at the banker’s men…
“This ship will be mine tomorrow you lily-livered knave!” He shouted at the banker.
“We’ll see who wears the pants in this town you whoresome dog!” The banker yelled back as he slapped his hat on his head and motioned to his men to exit the wharf.
Meanwhile, a few feet away the trader in the long leather coat stayed silent. His men whispered amongst themselves and he motioned for them to keep quiet. His right hand however was hidden inside his coat and protruding ominously just inches below it’s bottom, the black mussel of a musket!
If ever there were such a thing as an eagled-eyed man, the captain would fit the bill. His piercing green eyes quickly detected the familiar, odd body language of the trader, and with one eyebrow raised, he whispered to himself...
"Black Bart!"
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📝 Note: "If th' Toor o' High Islain' has caught yer intrest, all o' me stoatin' adventures kin be foond by searchin':
Silver Adventures of Captain Joshua Slane
Oan yer 'Hife Search tool' an' sae forth." 😉 -Keptin
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References: - Pictures from: www.freeimages.com, www.pexels.com, pixabay.com, Hive.blog, Wikipedia an’ www.google.com/maps. Data also loosely interpretted froms: historica.fandom.com, Wikipedia, an' sometimes finely crafted reit from th' author's extensiff personal experience an' such.
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need tae gab with th' Keptin?- Skelp th' 'Reply' button muckers!" - Keptin
📝 "Remember maties, bein' crew oan th' mighty Frigate Silverton ⛵ is a sure cure fur loneliness! We sail together...ur nae at aw!" 🙌🏼🤝👲🏼🥷🏼👩🏼🍳👨🏼🔧👨🏼💼🧑🏼🎨🧕🏼🤵🏼♂️🤵🏼♂️🦹🏼💁🏼🙋🏼♀️👩🏼🍳🤴🏼👮🏼♂️💂🏼♂️🕵🏼👨🏼⚕️ 😉 -Keptin
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