Chapter. 2 -- Scribbler's Corner

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Date Posted: 18:11:15 01/24/02 Thu
Author: Vito
Subject: Chapter. 2
In reply to: Vito 's message, "Of Guns and Canvas" on 14:11:55 01/22/02 Tue

The Spectre was a 28-gun Frigate stationed a few miles off the coast of some small yet crowded island in the south pacific. She was extremely far from her motherland and during their stay on the island her hands were loading her with water and other stores from the islanders. Their mission was a four-month cruise around the pacific. They had the choice to go all of those miles east to the coast of America, where merchantmen and other small vessels would be their choicest prey, or shoot along a mile off china and Japan.

She had been out only for a month and a half, and her crew had not only been able to capture three fair sized merchantmen, but had also chased away an American convoy all the way from northern Siberia.

�Make sail!� the captain cried, and the master repeated, �fore and aft, all hands to make sail!�

The Spectre�s mainsails filled, and she turned abath the wind, so she could reach her maximum speed.

�She seems to sail better with these new-fangled number-one sailcloth shrouds,� the captain heard a voice say, and turning, he saw the lieutenant addressing the boson. The lieutenant was a man of twenty, with short but brilliantly red hair and deep green eyes. He was an Irishman, a people un-trusted for the most part, but he seemed to have fared well. This was also his first voyage as the lieutenant, the second-in-command, of a vessel, and he took his newest job very seriously. He was an excellent officer and a fine seaman.

�Indeed sir,� Garret replied, �but I think we�d have fared better should we have rigged up some of that silk that I suggested on yonder island.�

Garret had suggested, insisted, on replacing the old worn sailcloth canvas with fine silk, but all hands had refused.

�Nay, silk couldn�t support any breeze aft, or forward for that matter,� the lieutenant argued.

Captain Arbator broke in: �gentlemen, I�m most certain that you are both quite right, but I need that maintop rigged now! Now while the breeze carries.�

The two officers nodded, smiled at each other good naturedly, and set about their assigned duties: the boson rushing to the maintop, and the lieutenant conducting the trial from the deck.

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Replies:

Chapter. 3 -- Vito, 21:37:40 01/25/02 Fri