Outside the Crown (with 8 Ball)

(Ask the Magic 8 Ball for instructions on what to do in this thread. )


With the storm over, Billy ventured outside and gazed speculatively at the tree limb that had fallen on the roof of the kitchen. "That don't look good," he said with gloomy pleasure.

Cotton heard a voice from outside and went to see what the matter was. There was a big branch resting on the kitchen roof, obviously torn from the nearby oak tree. It didn't look good.

"Nasty lookin' big branch, there," he said. "Could've killed someone, that come down in the wrong place. You reckon we oughta find a ladder and sort it out?"

"Reckon so," Billy answered. "Get a coupla' axes and chop it up. Easier to get it down in pieces, like." He looked at the landsman speculatively. "You don't mind the height and all?"

There was a green coat and a Tar standing outside, and they appeared as if staring at something that had been on the wall, roof or some part of the house. He stood and yawned and then walked to the door, to see what it was.

A branch had been leaning against the roof. Well, he could not help that. Not really, could he? "...Could we not leave it there?"

"Don't think we should leave it there, mate," Billy said, eyeing the newcomer with his fancy uniform. He turned his head and bellowed suddenly. "Toby! Lend a hand here!"

Tobias came to the door, and looked out. He raised his eyebrows at the group of men now crowded around the branch.

"Wat's tha need 'elp wiv, Billy?" he asked. "Looks lahk tha's got a fair nummer o' lads aroond ta do et."

Billy grimaced. "Landsmen," he explained in a brief loud whisper that landsmen probably couldn't hear. "C'mon mate, get out here and gissa hand!"

Ah. That explained it, then. Lubbers were useless types to be sure.

Stepping outside, Tobias glanced around. "Dos'tha 'ave axes? Bit 'ard t'do et by 'and, lahk. Too big."

"I got one axe here," he answered, holding up the implement. "Dunno wheresabouts any more though. Hoi!" he shouted, cupping his hand to his mouth. "Does anyone know where's some axes!"

Nat, who had been investigating the presence of a pile of wood in the street, looked up at the cry. Axes? That sounded promising. Glancing around, he spotted an axe lying near the pile and grabbed it up. “Got one here,” he shouted back, jogging toward the others, “What you want ‘em for?”

"Chop down this tree!" Billy answered, looking over at the approaching seaman. Nat Kelly, axe in hand and ready for action. "Where'd you get that axe so quick? Is there more?" He reached up and tugged at a branch attached to the great limb. It felt to be fast, and so he swung up like a monkey and scrambled easily onto the roof.

"What? The whole tree?" asked Nat, scrambling up after Billy, "It were just lyin' in the street over by that pile o' wood. Didn't see no more of 'em, though."

After a bit of searching round, Tobias managed to find an axe for himself as well. Tucking it into his belt, he grabbed hold of a branch and swung himself up onto the roof after the others. He looked the tree over, scratching idly at his chin.

"Ah reckon et shouldna be too 'ard ta breck apar', aye?" He said.

Then, turned to call down to the landsmen on the ground, "Thenk yas c'n cetch wha' we thraws doon awlreight?" He gestured towards the wood pile. "Stack et o'er thar."

"Looks tricky, that," Cotton said, watching the Tars. "You be careful up there, all right?"

He ought to offer to help, really, but they seemed to know what they were doing, at least as far as the climbing went.

"You do know how to prune a dead branch so's not to hurt the tree, though, right?"

Billy was surprised. "What you mean, mate? How d'you hurt a tree? You want to come up here and show us?" Trees did not have feelings, not like a sailor getting his leg whipped off, but the rifleman seemed to be speaking with authoritative knowledge. Perhaps landsmen might know a few things about land things like trees.

"'S alreddeh daan, en' it?" Tobias asked, scratching at his head. "Ah doan' see 'ow we cooad mak' et worse, lahk."