1 June; Stargazing

De Guarde glanced around himself, at Button and then made sure that there wasn't an officer looking when he took the offered from Fisk. He sniffed it just to make sure it was not just stale water. A sign of one, who was drinking a fair deal was the ingenuity of where and that they were able to keep the said alcohol close at hand.

He smiled and shifted a bit. The only one who could see him drink was one to whom he was facing. Anybody else, behind him, could see not much of a change. He gave the small container a few quick gulps.This was considered 'a bit' in his books. "That'll do, fer a little while." He said cheekily and held the container low, till Fisk could take it.

"So's.. where was we now?" He asked licking his lips.

Fisk took the flask back and returned it safely to it's hiding place among the many sown in pockets and pouches in his jacket. He felt only mildly stupid for allowing the lad, who might let slip (and who, face facts, mates, was and may be again a proper little mid,) about it, to know that he had it, and where it was he kept it.

He tapped the side of his nose to reiterate that he ought to be very, very careful not to let that bit slip. Besides, if you don't, you won't get anymore, will you?

"You was talkin' 'bout the noises in th' berth."

"Now what's alla this skulkin'?" Chase wandered up from a brief turn near the foc's'le, where he'd chased Chicken Dyer. "There's fun for havin' here'bouts, if you're careful with it."

He dropped to sit on the deck with a broad grin, momentarily contemplating another grab for Button's hat.

" 'Ey, Cobb," Fisk nodded, and grinned in turn. "We was havin' fun," he asserted, with a very solemn air, which wasn't a lie, not since he himself was experiencing a few of the healthy effects of a few drams, "an' then you stopped by."

Smart-arse. Chase smirked. "Ain't me what stops fun," he replied, affecting a huff. "It's that borin' fella there. The ol' chicken thief."

"Hoi!" Chicken Dyer protested.

" 's true, though," Fisk nodded at Chicken Dyer, " 's totally true." He grinned at Button and Mr. De Gaurde- er. Whatever he was, now.

And then he gave Cob a fake-push. "An' you, no huffin' an' puffin'."

Terry studiously ignored de Guarde asking for a drink, and Dixon passing something to him. It was none of his business if de Guarde had a nip or two, after all, was it?

He couldn't help but put a hand protectively over his hat as Cob Chase wandered up and dropped artlessly to the deck. "There's all sorts of fun, ain't there?" he said, letting go of his hat as Dixon gave Chase a mock shove.

"There is. There be all sorts of scary things too, Cob Chase. An'.. Button here can attest to it.. Voices in t' hold, that ain't belongin' ter no mouth o' a human being." He smiled. A tot of drink was rather excellent, and he decided he would ask for another now that he knew that this Tar did have it on him.

He looked up. "Voices like t' wind howlin' as I said.. we's heard it. Aye. Rattlin' that ain't caused by no rat."

"Oh, that's just Cob Chase tryin' to sing," Perry said as he came to join the group.

De Guarde shook his head. "No, That ain't so. Wasn't Chase anywhere around. An' a bad singin' voice screeches more n' anything. That was not a screechin'... it was.. it was eerie, but sort o' soft.. like a .. wind harpy." He waved his hand around. "Like a siren, jus' we dun' have none of those in our hold."

"Better at singin' than you," Chase returned easily.

"'E'e right. There was some weird sounds down inna hold," Terry piped up, though probably he shouldn't know anything about such goings-on and if he did, didn't it prove he'd skived off from his duties? He hoped the older sailors didn't cotton onto that.

"See. He's um heard it too. " De Guarde nodded, giving emphasis on what he had said. "..Evil, it must lurk there. AN' ..It gives a preference ter t' adult Tars.. couse it didn' harm me, an' it did no harm ter Button either." He stretched out nonchalantly. It was silly to be telling any such story. But, they started it!

"Now what," Chase enquired playfully, "is you lads been up to down in the hold? Skivin' off like always?"

"Ah, no 'Cob! We's were o' watch. F'course.. Done nothing that we shouldn't have." He nodded quickly and sharply and studied Chase, to see what he thought of it. "But that ain't t' important part anyway!" He insisted.

"I don't allus skive off," Terry said defensively. And it was hardly his fault that the purser was a mean sod and heavy-handed with his tawse, either. it wasn't like Terry made him pick it up every time. Even the thought of the fearsome implement made him wince.

"That's true. He ain't been skivvin' of at all." De Guarde spoke in Button's favour. "So anyway, we 'eard it. It was real eerie. I'm tellin' you. You never know. Maybe jus' tomorrow it will come inter our mess, an' eat a TAR!" He gasped and looked around them, as if expecting the dangerous creature to jump at them at any moment.

"S' worse n' Kraken... couse it's here." His voice was just as secrety and eerie as what he had just said should have been.

Why did everyone think he always skived off? He did his work - he couldn't not do his work, not with Mister Foxley being the mean sod he was. But there just wasn't anything to do afterwards, even though Mister Foxley seemed to think he could be busy all day. He wouldn't let Terry do anything with the stores or anything, so he couldn't be busy all day - that stood to reason, didn't it?

Even the able seamen weren't busy all day, after all. Like now - they were on watch but weren't busy doing things.

He shivered a little at de Guarde's words. "Don't go talkin' like that," he said in a low voice, casting a wary glance around at the gathered sailors. "You din't oughta go sayin' fings like that, Buckles."

"I didn't oughta.. but.. what can I do when they's true." The boy spoke with a mysterious tone. "It's only fair to warn them." He nudged Button's side. "So they're prepared for if it comes, when it comes." He nodded seriously.

Terry wasn't prepared for de Guarde's nudge and squeaked in surprise, glancing nervously at the gathered tars in case they thought he was being childish.

"I dunno anyone as'd want to down the 'old, if'n they didn't 'ave to," he said, hoping that de Guarde's teasing didn't mean that he'd find crowds of seamen down there the next time he wanted to get away and have a bit of peace and quiet.

"Doan' worry, lad," Tobias said, giving Terry a smile. "Nooan's suggestin' owt differen' - best t' stay out o' the 'old iff ye've no' go' a reeason ter be ther."

The smile turned into a grin as he looked at de Gaurde. "Arter all," he added teasingly. "we doan' wan' lads gettin' ayten by sommat daan ther, aye?"

Terry shrugged, and turned to look at his arm as the scrape started making itself known - it stung. He didn't like to think how much skin had been taken off by that belaying pin. "Works for pusser, don' I?" he said, glancing up at Danver. He didn't really ever have any reason to go down into the hold, not at his age and size, but there was no way he was going to tell them that.

"Never seen anyfin' down there that'd eat us. Well. Not 'part from the rats." He shrugged. "I reckon it was mebbe a ghost or summat." He went back to looking at his arm; he thought the scrape was bleeding now.

Tobias' humour turned to concern as he noticed the slight bit of blood on Button's arm.

"Alreight, Terry?" he asked, leaning forward to get a better look. "'Ow'd ye mahnage tha', then?"

"Was haulin' the braces - fore royal - an' some lubber give me such a shove. Scraped me arm on a belayin' pin or somefin'," Terry replied. It was a decent scrape, too, and it was beginning to really sting now. Bother it all.

"Saame lubber as was jist mahkin' such a fuss abou' workin'?" Tobias asked with a frown. Hales was proving himself not only useless, but also a hazard to those around him. Bloody childish nuisance.