19th May: Supper - Down below with the Tars

"Aye, he'll be arright," Chase said, heartened by De Guarde's apparent certainty. Nothing truly bad could happen to Mister Crozier anyway. Wasn't he their sawbones?

" 'Course he'll be arrigh'," Jonny Seward affirmed as he slid onto the bench beside Chase. The maintopman pointedly ignored De Guarde as he held out his hand to Dyer, who had pulled some tobacco from his pocket.

His movement was mimicked by Chase, who said, "Give us some, Chicken, that's far too much fer jus' yerself!"

"Hey!" Billy exclaimed, perking up. "You got 'bacca? That the Yankee stuff still that you got off that whaler? I'll trade you some of mine for just a bit. Just a bit, Chicko, go on."

"I only got so much!" Dyer protested, even as he sliced off portions of tobacco for the out-stretched hands. "S'that Yankee stuff too. 'Course I'd have only the best!"

Chase grinned as he swiped the piece intended for Seward. " 'Course!" He agreed, swiftly stuffing the purloined bit of tobacco into his cheek.

"That was mine," Seward said grumpily.

"Take that one, Jonny," Billy said mildly as he grabbed for his own portion. "And give us a bit of room, mate. Shove over a bit."

"It ain't so big," Seward grumbled, unabashedly sulking even as he took his own portion. He grudgingly scooted over to allow Billy to sit and managed to not-so-innocently elbow Chase in the side as he did so.

"Mind yer elbow, ya big oaf!" Chase admonished playfully. He was feeling too mellow to allow himself to be honestly provoked. " 'Ow's things topside, Barrow?"

"Things are things," Billy said. "Tom Greely flung a wedge overboard on accident, and Chips let him have it!" He chuckled at the memory. "His face - you know his face, it goes that red when he's mad! You know, Jonny. Remember when you broke that mallet?"

The others laughed at the recollection. Seward looked embarrassed. "It weren't a-purpose!" He protested. "All his own faul' fer makin' me use it anyhows."

Chase prodded Seward with his elbow, grinning at the other topman. "C'mon, Jonny. Y'did it all a-purpose an' every lad knows it. Thought Chips was gonna 'eave ya overboard fer that, sure!"

Billy coughed with laughter and spat the juice on the deck. "What were you using it for anyways?"

His face colouring, Seward looked at Chase and Dyer for help. It hurt his pride to even think about that incident.

" 'E was tryin' to 'ammer another 'orse-shoe onto the mainmast," Chase explained, smirking. "Ol' Keane convinced 'im we was in fer a proper blow 'less 'e did it!"

"Did not!" Seward burst out indignantly. "I knowed we wasn't in fer nothin'. Honest!"

Billy laughed again. He knew the story, but he wanted to hear it again. "So what happened to the mallet?"

Chase was only too happy to continue the tale. "Didn't split down inta two 'til 'e'd swung it a couple times more'n 'e shoulda. Ol' Keane tol' 'im the nail 'adda be 'ammered down good'n'deep. So that's wot Jonny did!"

Seward's face was pink with embarrassment at that particular exploit being retold.

Everyone was laughing by now. "And then and then and then, tell about the horseshoe, Cob!" Tanner Joe cried.

"The 'orsehoe!" Chase cried, in full good humour now. He spat out some tobacco juice and rolled the plug around to the other cheek before continuing. "Well! Once ol' Jonny 'ad knocked that nail alla way down, far's it'd go, that ol' shoe went an' cracked right down it's middle an' fell clean off the nail!"

Tailor Samuels looked startled, though everyone else was rolling in laughter now. "How'd a horseshoe crack like that?"

"Cause it were rusted clean through!" Billy explained. "And it fell all the way down onto deck!"

Seward looked as though he wanted to disappear. "S'cause he gave me a bust one," he muttered, half to himself. Chase clapped him on the shoulder.

"No worries, mate. Next time we'll getcha a real sorta 'orseshoe. Fresh off a real 'orse, even."

Smirking, Dyer added, "That ain't even the best bit, neither. One'a them halfs near to hit Chips on his head, when it came down. He'd not'a known 'bout the hammer goin' bust, else!"

This made Tanner Joe hoot and howl with laughter until tears were running down his face. By now the rest were simply laughing at his reaction. "Go on, Cob, we can fetch him a general's horseshoe right now!" Billy said, watching the effect it had on Joe.


[ooc - gotta go, back in a couple of hours!]

"That we can!" Chase agreed. "C'mon, Buckle," he said to De Guarde, "ain't ya close mates with that big brute? Fetch us a shoe of 'is!"

De Guarde listened to the Tars chatter away about a horse shoe and its adventures, and dared a small chuckle even in the presence of Seward from whom he had felt hostility earlier. He watched as they 'bickered' about the amount of their 'bacco' portion and studied the later with mild interest. Biting at his lip, he was sure of the answer but decided to ask anyways, nudging Dyer just enough to get his attention and murmuring a softer: "Could I too?" That was nearly lost in the hallowing laughter of the men about him.

He'd yawned afterwards, in no connection to what the men were saying realy. He shielded his mouth with his hand and then rested them on the desk, glancing briefly at the palms. One for Leat, one fair point to that man.

Dyer barely heard the lad's question amid the general amusement of the others, but the light nudge was enough to draw his notice. For a moment he thought about the request and considered refusing it simply because he didn't the boy. Then he heard Chase's question to the lad and decided it was easier to be charitable.

"Mind y'don't swaller it whole," Dyer said as he cut off a small plug and held it out.

Chase grinned and said, "No 'orseshoe, then? Pity. Mebbe we can find somethin' else fer Seward to nail onta the mainmast!"

(ah missed that question x.x! )

"Thankee!" He'd remembered how Chase had taken the tabacco, and did the same, before adding: "...Don't think I c'n take it from 'im. He kicks hard n'uff.. as is. N' t' general might notice if 'is horse is missin' a slipper!" He responded actually grinning, though trying not to make a face at the taste in his mouth.

" But'um..they mighta 'ave any with 'em?" He glanced at Seward, then quickly averted his gaze from the man and rather looked to Chase.

"Whattabout 'is groom, then? Mebbe 'e's got an extra shoe some-place," Chase said. "Or we can send Seward down t'get one off the 'orse 'isself!"

Seward looked incensed. "Not on yer life! I hate horses!"

"Could ask 'im. " he agreed, though , glancing at Seward's protest he wondered if he would add, that the second suggestion was much better a thing to do.

"n' less.. " He let the rest of his thoughts go unspoken. Unless Seward was brave enough?

"Unless what?" Seward demanded, looking at De Guarde.

Chase and Dyer exchanged knowing smirks. It was easy, sometimes, to goad Seward. Funny how De Guarde had discovered one way to manage it.

"Unless .. but, nay. .. ye wouldn't be." He spoke nonchalantly, keeping his grin at bay, and watching Seward curiously to see what he would do.

The seamen burst out into fresh laughter as Seward sprang up from the bench and immediately whacked his head on the deck beam above them.

"I ain't!" The maintopman declared, colouring indignantly. "Here, where's that bleedin' groom at, I'll get a shoe me own self!"