Slacking off in the Sun

"..But, could you try?" His hopes were dashed. The boy might have known who they were, might have seen that somebody did bring something - not even a middie - and he did not see them throw it. Perhaps Button would not even remember who it was and would look at the faces of men and think he knew.

"..Button. It's important. That. They haven't moved on me again.. but who's to say they won't do it. ..or do sumbody else in. Perhaps a different middie?" It was unlikely. At least, the suggestion another middie could be harmed. He remembered what mister Hollow had said.

"I could try, mebbe, but... I don't wanna get the wrong folks. I only know what I seen and, well, it mightn't be what other folks'd say's enough, if you know what I mean." He could see the disappointment in de Guarde's face, but he didn't really want to point out anyone in particular in case he was wrong.

Mister Foxley was very fond of telling him he always got things wrong, after all. And what if the purser was right?

"....Well.. think 'bout it.. then." He murmured, and was indeed disappointed. Here he had, what he thought was a witness, but the witness was not certain. The witness had been sleepy and could be accused of dreaming it all up. There was still a glimmer of hope that Button might come forth with what he knew. He would look forward to seeing the culprits punished. It was not just revenge for the near death of his own. He was afraid, even now, that the same unpunished men, might feel again bold or find something at fault with him and this time make no mistake when drowning him.

The fear, which he tried mostly to ignore, made him not sleep as early as the others, and be glad that he remained close to Chase when asleep in his hammock. He had been convinced at the very least, that Chase was not the culprit. Even if not as thrilled, Chase did take care of him and did act as his sea daddy. But the other Tars. He tried to trust them but could not. He did know that the American one could not have been the culprit, but he complained so often that he could as well have been a mutineer himself. Or would be, if given half the chance. "...is' really important.. that t'... Tar who's done it, pays for it. Couse who says, he .. or they won't do t' same ter t' next middie who's they don't like!"

"'M sorry," he added, obscurely. "I... I will think about it."

The afternoon sun didn't seem so bright after this conversation and Terry wasn't feeling as cheerful as he had been earlier. He didn't want to be responsible for having two sailors brought in front of the captain. And if he did tell someone, who was to say that they'd believe him and be able to take what he said as Gospel-truth? The two might get off, and then they'd coming looking for Terry himself, to do for him... He shivered at the thought of that. Best get it right, first time.

"..Aye." And the earlier light mood seemed dashed and dark now. He looked thoughtful and then playfully nudged Button. It was a spur of a moment thing. He had seen boys do this to each other, when playing.

He attempted it, and regretted it a moment later. Button would not think him equal, he'd think him attacking. He might think him as one who'd picked the right wrong time for it too!

Wha...? de Guarde had nudged him - not a proper shove, but it still took Terry by surprise. He grinned, the dark mood forgotten, and scrambled to his feet before tapping de Guarde's shoulder, reaching for a backstay as he did.

"Tag - you're It!"

"Oi." The lad's grin and his response with a tag looked encouraging, and De Guarde found himself scampering after the boy to get him tagged back. This was suddenly turning quite silly, but he did not mind if Button would not think he meant to punch him! "Get 'over 'ere." It was just like the two 'monkeys' to choose to play this game in such a dangerous environment as the tops were.

"No!" Terry had his hands firmly on the stay and his legs weren't long in wrapping around it, either. "You gotta catch me, see!" He began sliding down the stay, shifting hand over hand quickly in case de Guarde found another stay and caught up with him too soon.

"I'll get ye!" The lad threatened, smiled broadly and took his own stay to start sliding down it. He was a bit late in starting, which only meant he was now having to double his efforts to get after Button, before the boy got all the way down to the deck. Neither of them appeared to care in what danger they were placing themselves by this reckless speedy descend.

Cattling observed them unable to comprehend the foolishness. He soon dropped his gaze to the task at hand, ignoring the cry of delight, coming from the higher of the two boys. De Guarde was laughing and trying to get himself a good hold, from which he could nudge or poke the boy he was catching up with slowly. To have him tagged.

Terry blew a raspberry. "Slowpoke! Ain't gonna catch a snail like that!" he said, redoubling his efforts. Who'd've thought he'd end up playing tag with de Guarde of all people!

He ignored the lookout's expression if incomprehension, concentrating on getting down before the other boy, and without falling.

"Ain't trying to catch a snail. Jus' a boy half his speed!" He responded in like. He loosened his grip, bordering dangerously to loosing his hold as well. Instead of letting himself slide down the last couple of metres. He pushed himself so as to land on his feet on deck. It gave quite a loud thud, that, and he disappeared from view as he'd just dropped into a crouch else his knees might have told him a story of their own.

He whirled around and grabbed for Button.

"I seen snails faster'n you ever will be!" Terry retorted, pausing once he'd arrived on deck, to give de Guarde a half-chance. Oops. Too close - he'd almost been tagged then! "C'mon, slowpoke!" he called, darting off.

"Slowpoke? Don' judge others cos' you's like it'!" The boy darted after Button, ducking past one of the Tars who'd stumbled backwards cursing the two boys. Another pair of Tars had to be avoided, as they walked smack into the path of the two boys running, but then one more actually noticed them soon enough and kept to the side, not quite sure he was seeing, what he was.

De Guarde suddenly yelled: "Button, officer! Watch out!"

Officer? Terry skidded to stop, looking around in confusion. What was an officer doing for'ard here, when all the sails were properly set and drawing?

"Tag! You're it!" De Guarde slapped his hand onto Button's shoulder. There was not a moment to loose, as the boy turned about and bolted in the opposite direction. The trick worked perfectly! Coming round the next corner, he ran for the companionway, pushing past a pair of marines out of their usual red coats.

"You cheat!" Terry couldn't believe he'd fallen for it, and turned to run after de Guarde, who was heading below. That wasn't usual, but oh well, whatever. He sidestepped a couple of Marine in their off-watch rig, hoping to catch up with de Guarde before he went anywhere out-of-bounds

The boy ducked past the men below, thinking he could do better to make a good round circle, and then get back up on deck while Button was still struggling to get through himself.

"Watch it!" Came a retort, and he grinned. "Who's the slowpoke now? My grandmother, if she were alive, would have run faster than you!" He called to Button and tried to find a way back up the same companionway he had come down by.

"No she wouldn't've!" Terry called back, weaving around sailors and equipment.

"I seen snails faster'n you ever will be!" he called, finding it somehow amusing to compare de Guarde with a snail.

"It's just like you to watch snails n' think them fast!" He countered and dived under the hands of one of the Tars, shoved of in a sharp arch to the left, pushed forward in a scamper of nearly all fours, back to two and he was hopping up the companionway again. Knowing the first few steps were most dangerous as Buttons could tag him right through them, he tried to pull himself up two, in that section.

And now they had the companionway between them and de Guarde was scrambling up the steep steps. Hell.

Terry lunged forward, and slipped his hand through the gap between two treads, slapping the other boy's bare ankle firmly. "It!"

De Guarde missed a step and caught himself on his arms, preventing any further injury to happen to his face. "ugh! Cheat!" He shot turning around and sliding down the companionway to dart after Button. By now, the Tars knew to stand out of the way, and there were a few of the ship's boys that were now itching to know what on earth was going on. Were the two boys fighting, arguing or was it really just a game?

"No more'n you did earlier!" Terry retorted, already moving back out of de Guarde's reach. He grinned at the gaggle of other boys. "Watch out - he's It!" They gaped for a second before scattering, giving de Guarde even more possible targets.

More targets meant more opportunities to get someone who was slow. He could pick a boy slower than Button, or closer to him. This he did do, reaching for a small lad, who's just scampered ahead. He was just a bit too slow, and a hand clasped onto his back. "You're it!" He stuck his tongue at Button and ran, as the boy was already after them too.

Now it was Jacky Fisher who was It, and the lad wasted no time in going after one of the others. Terry thought it was Danny Milburn that the other boy was after, but he wasn't going to stick around to become an easy target, and twisted around the companionway to head back up to the gundeck before Mister Foxley caught wind of where he was.

De Guarde ducked away from Jacky, and went after Button. Not because he meant to catch him, since he was not it, but simply as he had to go that direction any way.

Back in the fresh air, he ran past the off duty marines. He took a few turns, hearing the laughter come from below, and then more feet coming up on deck. Taking a place to sit, a bit out of sight he stretched out and decided to catch some breath.