The Storm

[Jacob Chase]

The wind was whipping the sea up into white-capped fury, sending waves crashing over the bow and occasionally over the deck rails. Seamen hurried around the weather deck, rigging life-lines as quickly as they could. In the yards, the work of reefing sail was finished and the wind-battered topmen were making their way toward the shrouds for the descent to the deck.

Chase's feet slapped against the deck as he carelessly leapt down from the shrouds and he paused to look out over the wild sea before getting pushed along by the man behind him. Nobody wanted to stay on deck if it wasn't necessary. "Hoi, Barrow!" Chase called as he elbowed his way through the press of bodies crowded the gundeck. "Be a lively one tonight, won't it?" Grinning, the topman tucked himself onto the bench at his mess. "Oughta come up inta the tops wi' us next time we're piped up!"

[Guest]

Dripping with salt and grinning like a lunatic, John dropped down, almost landing on Chase. "Sorry 'bout that! Bit blustery, ain't she now?" he made to slap the man on the back, but though better of it in confined quarters. Slap one man in friendship and you got punched by four in annoyance, it always seemed to him. "Of course we'll be right, this time, won't we." he added, putting enough question in there to encourage a response.

[Guest]

Peter made his way, clinging to the life-lines as he had been told "They're there for a purpose, lad. Don't think you've got the measure of it - we haven't even started yet. Once in the gundeck, out of most of the wind, he made his way forward to the galley, and found they were still working, in haste before the worst hit them. "A hot dinner at 6 bells," he shouted as the wind hissed and clattered the ports. "For all hands. And something to eat throughout the night. They'll be cold and wet, and in need of food." He grinned at Kościuszko, who had always managed to find a handful of fruit, or a broken piece of cake for this cheerful young midshipman. "I will do, Master Peter, with a thought for you. Fear not. No one will die of hunger on my ship." Peter grinned again, and turned back towards the quarterdeck, carefully handing himself along the landline. As the sea rose and the wind whistled melancholy notes in the rigging.

[Jacob Chase]

Chase was very glad that Westdale stayed his hand and didn't follow-through with his intended backslap. Even as cavalier as he was about the stripes on his back, he wasn't quite willing to endure a blow from an open hand, even a friendly one. Still, he grinned at the other seaman's remarks, and answered, "Oh aye, it's a bit breezy up top. But we'll be just arrigh'. Only a squall, this!"

[Guest]

"Aye, I've no doubt we'll be fine."
John carefully rolled his shoulders. "Though maybe a bit of dry clothing wouldn't go amiss in a few days time!"
to prove his point he gripped the bottom of his shirt and wrung it with vigour. "No doubt those cloaks were invented and tested by a lubber. At least mine doesn't hang fully open- stitched soem more buttons into it."

[Billy Barrow]

"All right, but no need to crowd, you with your wet cloak. It's damp enough as it is without you adding to it. Better than a rain cloud, you are. Move over. Make room for Samuels here." The little man was looking pale. Would probably be sick in a while. Preferably not on his mates. "Sammy, sit on the end. You'll do better."

[Guest]

John looked round abruptly. "Sammy! here, take some of this, it'll do ye good." he grinned at Billy. "What's the point of being in a storm if I can't enjoy it? there's enough of you to do that, ain't there now."
But he did gently kick some of the water along the boards and leave his shirt alone.

[Billy Barrow]

"What is it?" Samuels asked doubtfully.

[Guest]

"A drink. Not salty, either, which is a surprise." John gestured to the noise of strong waves, "it's lucky that the seals are tight on those barrles, dontcha think?"
And please, sit down, you're making me feel green about the gills just lookin at ya swaying there."

[Billy Barrow]

As Samuels sat on the end of the bench and reached out to accept the drink he was offered, Billy reached across to forestall him.

"No, no, mate," he said, speaking mostly to Westdale. "If you're liable to be seasick, you want to drink just water and eat a bit o' biscuit."

[Guest]

"Well, as far as I can work out Billy, he ain't gonna get no biscuit here- unless he wants to just have salt biscuit?" he asked Samuels, gently.
"but maybe we can find some water somewere." John grinned at Billy as he stood, but sat quickly with shouts to stay where he was. "Maybe you should tell us a good story instead, Billy. keep us all occupied, like."

[ooc- for some reason I read mate as sir, got me all confused, it did!]

[Billy Barrow]

"Story won't do him no good," Old Keane announced. "He needs to hold onto sommat cold and metal. If'n he hold a sommat cold, a man won't get sick, ever."

[Guest]

"pity we don't have any newspaper. My mother always made my brother sit on it when he complained about the rocking. he never were a great traveller- better off in bed, I guess."
john fished around his pockets. "I'd offer you something cold and metal, but I've only got a knife. wiggle yer toes and cross all yer fingers."

[Billy Barrow]

"What?" Samuels asked weakly.

"Got a hammer ye can hold," Young Oates suggested helpfully. "Would a hammer work, Keane?"

[Guest]

John looked Young Oates in the eye, "And why d'ye have a hammer, mate? I hope you don't throw it over here!" But he looked at Keane too, cearly waiting an answer.

[Billy Barrow]

"It's something," Old Keane said skeptically, "Not such as one would like, but it's something."

"Here ye go, Samuels," Young Oates said kindly. "And what's wrong with having a hammer?" he asked Westdale. "Wouldn't throw it at you. Waste of a good hammer to throw it at you!"

[George Thompson]

Thompson didn't mind storms. He just preferred being on deck during them, rather than below with no idea of what was going on. The creaking of the ship working had increased with the motion, and the lanterns hanging from the deck beams were swinging wildly, sending their light spiralling. Below decks was dry, at least, with the hatches battened down to keep out as much water as possible. Even up on the gun deck it would be cold and wet.

He wedged himself into the corner by the side of the ship, and hoped it would be all right and that the storm wouldn't last too long.

[Jacob Chase]

Chase grinned at the others and their remarks. They were all wrong. "Nah mates, that's all amiss," he said. "What he needs is ta find some ol' horseshoe - Robbins got one in his sea-chest - an' tack it up onta the mainmast."

[Billy Barrow]

Samuels who was already pale blanched a shade greener. "I'd have to do what?"

"Oh, I don't know, Cob," Billy replied. "Captain won't like that. Neither will Robbins."

[Guest]

"Maybe if we got the horseshoe and tied it to his stomach? You're supposed to have some cold tea on an old rag and tie it round- but I ain't making no tea for you, Samuels, no offence and all."
John looked round at a particularly rough movement. "What's the betting we get called up right about now, to run up some sail or somesuch?" he grumbled. "I've almost stopped dripping."

[Billy Barrow]

"Tie a horseshoe around his stomach? I never heard of such a thing."

[Guest]

Peter stood for a moment looking out over the sea from the top of the quarterdeck ladder. It was like that gloomy painting, dark into the distance, with just the occasional glint of water or flash of white-topped waves, and the clouds as low as he'd ever seen them. The light picked out edges and dark hollows and the diagonal stripes of rain.

He turned and made his way, still clinging to the line, towards the Captain.

[Billy Barrow]

Billy popped up in front of the midshipman, grinning as he emerged from the companionway. "'Lo there, sir! Bit of a breeze, ain't it?" he called cheerfully. When he knuckled his forehead, Yates could see a horseshoe in his hand.

[Guest]

Peter smiled back, and thought again about how superstitious sailors were. Would the horseshoe ward off sinking? Or was Billy going to throw it overboard as a sacrifice?

[Jacob Chase]

"Nah, the horseshoe's gotta be nailed t'the mainmast," Chase insisted. "Can't do that if it's tied 'round Jim's stomach. Not 'less we wanna leave him nailed there too!"

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