⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵...(Tour of "High Island")...Continued...
[Last time...]
On the far west edge of town, a lonely figure stumbled along the shore of Great Lake Michigan, moving slowly westward, holding one arm across his chest…
(See: @joshuaslane/silver-adventures-captain-joshua-slane-19au25-hang-on )
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[Leyla’s cottage…south of Youngstown…]
Dawn’s first light filtered through the yellow-paned glass of the cottage. Standing Officer Lupega first opened one eye and then the other as he ran his hand across his face and sat up. Across the room, Leyla was already busy packing cooked beans and corn into rolled corn shucks and packing them neatly in a back-pack. She looked up from her work and smiled…
“I didn’t mean to wake you…” She said.
Lupega smiled back as he got to his feet and stretched.
“You’re a quick packer!” He said picking up his outer shirt from the floor, “Well, I hope I move too. I'm not envious, no, well, a little, Ha-ha. I wish you a happy start to the week…”
“You have an odd way of making a point Lupega…” Leyla laughed, “But I wish us a happy week too. I’m putting together some quick meals for our travels.”
“How wonderful, I am glad to see it! Hiking through the woods can make any sailor hungry!”
It didn’t take long for the two to get ready. Leyla closed the door behind her. There was no exterior lock. Walking to the chicken pen she released the birds with a sigh…
“I hope they can make it!” She lamented as she then went to the fenced pig coral and set the pigs free, “You three I am sure will be ok!”
Lupega smiled at her gentle ways. She was indeed a good woman.
“How long til we get to your captain’s ship?”
“If he has come up the river, two days at most.” Lupega said looking north along the shoreline.
“And if he hasn’t?”
“He will!”
"What's the name of your ship Lupega?"
"Name? It's...ah...it's...
Lupega stopped a moment in his tracks. Leyla eyed him curiously...
"You said you were in the Scottish Navy?" She reminded.
"Ah, yes, I imagine so...we'll see if I'm right!" He replied with a puzzled look.
Leyla stood silent for a moment. Something seemed amiss...
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Youngstown was all abustle with the auction starting in just a half an hour. The captain stood on the main deck and watched the gathering of the townspeople with Lieutenant Gratefuleveryday next to him.
“Sit-up th' biddin' bench in front o’ La Serpent. …” He started, not taking his eyes off the gathering crowd, “Ahh wants ye tae rin th' auction. Keep yer wits aboot ye, don’t lit th' crowd press tay close, an' tak' tois armed sailors wi' ye in case onie fights break oot.”
“Aye Sairrr.”
“Nae fire-arms…swords oan yer belts.”
“Aye Sairrr.”
“In thirty minutes we’ll ring th' ship’s beel an' th' biddin' can commence.”
“Thirty minutes...aye.”
With that, the captain walked quickly towards the galley stairs and disappeared below.
† † † † †
On the lower corridor, he headed for the chartroom but not before grabbing Able Seaman Ruth-girl by the arm…
“Ruth, gang fetch th' commanders an' teel them tae meit me in th' chartroom.”
“Aye Sairrr! Right away Sairrr!” She replied with a salute as she jogged away quickly for the officer’s cabins.
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Commander Galligan was still tired, but he had regained a good portion of his strength with the few hours of sleep he had gotten. Commander Kerrislravenhill too was a bit weary but very happy to be back on-board.
“We're off to a very fast start Commander Sairrr!” She said as she quickened her pace to keep up with Galligan’s long strides.
“Aye, mebbe a wee bit too quick!” He consoled, “The Keptin will want to know why we didn’t achieve either of our goals…”
Kerrislravenhill furrowed her brow at the thought. It was true…they neither found Lupega nor brought back the pirate Ripper. With a deep sigh she slowed in front of the chartroom door while Galligan knocked.
“Comes in!”
Swinging the door open and closing it behind them they stood in front of the table where the captain was already seated. They saluted smartly and the captain motioned them to take a seat as he took a long draw on his pipe. In a moment the room was picturesquely painted in a light blue haze.
Kerrislravenhill swallowed hard as she sat down. For a moment the captain said nothing but gazed at them with his piercing green eyes.
"Whaur’s th’ Lad Lupega?” He began.
Kerrisl glanced at Galligan and he took a deep breath and answered, “We don’t know. He and the pirates were captured by the Seneca south of Youngstown, but we understand that he escaped into the river somewhere north of their village.” Galligan explained.
The captain took another drag on his pipe, letting out a smaller cloud of blue smoke…
“Was he woonded?”
“Not that we know of Sairrr.” Kerrislravenhill added, pursing her lips and nodding slightly.
“Hmmm…..” The captain grunted as he seemed to calculate the situation, “An' th' pirate Ripper?”
“We retrieved him, and an unknown prisoner from the Seneca village.” Galligan explained.
“An unknown prisoner?”
“Aye Sairrr, a poor soul, can barely speak - been held by the Seneca like a dog for a very long time it seems.”
“Whaur is he noo?”
“Down in sick-bay Sairrr…” Kerrislravenhill answered, “Officer Hack is checking him out as we speak.”
“Hmmmm.” The captain grunted softly again as he directed his gaze back to Galligan, “And Ripper?”
Galligan looked down a moment, a gloomy expression spread over his face…
“It seems Sairrr, that he either perished in the current or escaped again without a trace.”
Another long draw on the pipe left the three of them in an awkward silence. Finally the captain spoke,
“An' whit o' th' lacky?”
Galligan straightened uncomfortably…
“I…killed him.”
Kerrislravenhill’s hair stood on-end on the back of her neck at the statement, knowing full well how torn Galligan must feel about what happened back at the Seneca village.
“Wa' sae glum?” The captain responded casually, “I ordered you to kill the rogue.”
Galligan looked away, his mind was in turmoil….”Because…I murdered a bound man…Sairrr.”
The captain raised his eyebrows a moment before withdrawing a wrinkled parchment from his vest. Carefully unfolding it, he slid it across the table before him.
“Murrdad? No…” He said flatly, “Ye brooght heem tae justice!”
Galligan turned back and glanced down at the paper on the table. His eyes grew wide as he read the posting…
“A spyug from the town’s Sherrif flew out to the ship just hours before you two set off for shore…”
“Blimey!” Kerrisl declared openly as she read the script.
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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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