19th May: Supper - Down below with the Tars

De Guarde cringed at the loud thud, almost feeling the pain that must've come to the now red faced seaman. He nodded lightly, trying to keep himself from chuckling but allowed himself to grin: "He's down with t' horses I'd think.. mus've eaten already." He shrugged knowing that the poor groom had refrained from eating below ever since the least pleasant of welcomes.

Seward was already heading for the ladder leading down, bound and determined to achieve his goal now that he'd been persuaded.

"C'mon lads," Chase cried, sensing that the merriment was about to continue. "Somebody find Chips' hammer, too!"

De Guarde, with a chunk of tabacco still in his mouth looked at Chase, grinning as one of their company disappeared to fetch the designated hammer. The whole ordeal felt a bit mad and silly, yet he found himself enjoying its oddity.

He was very much tempted to go and see what would happen, but for now had himself seated.

The sought for groom had finished his own supper just a short while ago, and was checking the horses. He'd studied the stallion's leg, careful to spot any injuries gotten by the kick he'd given a man. Restless and annoyed Copenhagen kept throwing his head up and down, and putting as much of his weight as he could to the side of which his leg was to be lifted.

The crowd of seamen followed Seward below like a herd of cattle, chattering eagerly as they went.

"Go fer it then, Jonny!" Chase said, when Seward paused just outside the makeshift stable. "Git yer shoe, 'fore Dyer gits back wi' Chips' 'ammer."

Halley had just released the hoof of the stallion, after a few grunts, with the horse thinking he were triumphant, when he heard some commotion from outside. It still felt rather stiffling aboard the ship, and his belly protested too often, even with some food inside, or maybe because of it.

Thinking he was just hearing it through the planks - he had been wrong on several occasions - he continued around the horse, expertly avoiding any of the animal's attempts to do different.

"Bad luck to do it in fine weather," Old Keane muttered. "Horseshoes' for a storm."

"He's right lads," Billy said, listening to the voice of age and reason. "And bad weather means trouble, and them horses been all sorts of trouble already. Chippy's mallet would be trouble too, when Greely's made him so mad over that wedge. Just leave it. Don't want a storm outside or in."

"There's sure a storm on t' horizon, or so. We need t' keep t' weather full well f'r t' next few days." He looked around at Chase, since he thought the man could say what was to be done and then at Billy. "..if'um that's wot' t' horseshoe's for."

"I don't know," Billy said uneasily. Like all sailors, he was heavily superstitious at heart. A horseshoe on the mainmast was meant to counteract a storm. But what if there was no storm to counteract? Would it be like whistling for the wind and actually summon the storm? He looked nervously at the others. "I don't know. I don't like it."

"Hmph," Chase said, some of his enthusiasm slipping away. "Can't 'urt to git the 'orsehoe anyways, jes' in case?"

Just ahead of him, Seward shook his head adamantly, reminded of how much he hated horses now that he was within short reach of one.

That was true enough. Billy relented. "Well go on then Jonny, ask him," he urged. "Ask him real nice and the horse himself might give it to you!"

Seward looked like he wanted to be ill. "I needs... er... I want a horseshoe!" He blurted out to the surprised groom.

"Fer nailin' up to the mainmast, y'see," Chase explained with a grin.

"Why would you nail a horseshoe to the mast?" The groom may have felt green, and did wish that he were on land, but he he was no less able to think.

De Guarde observed the goingons from somewhere further to the back, looking curious to see what would happen.

"Good luck, 'course!" Chase replied, as if the answer was obvious. "G'on then, get a 'shoe fer Jonny. Bad luck to keep a topman waitin', y'know!"

The groom lifted an eyebrow at Chase. He'd liked the look of that man better than the first sailor come asking for a horseshoe. His memory hadn't been that of a fish, after all.

"Good luck..?"He sounded not too convinced, though in his voice there were already traces of doubt. He could inquire later about this. "May I expect to have the horse shoe returned?" He asked, studying the two topmen critically. He wouldn't dare come cross with them, that he was certain. So many men in one small boat were not having his mind at ease at all, even if they seemed relatively good natured. "I haven't them in abundance.."

Chase nodded. "Aye, good luck. 'Elps keep the ship safe in storms when they's blowin' y'know." He looked around the makeshift stable and shrugged. "Dunno 'bout bein' able to give it back, like, but mebbe y'can find another when we gits ashore?"

The groom considered what Chase had said. He could easily have said no, and he was tempted to do so. He was sure there was some joke being pulled on him. But if it weren't it was also true the horses had new shoes and considering that they would not use them up much while aboard ship they wouldn't really need new ones. There was an old horseshoe he had also, bent a little and worn.

"Would this one do?" He asked once coming to a decision and went to retrieve the old shoe. He held it to Chase, thinking him the leading party.

Chase took the offered horseshoe and inspected it carefully. After a moment, he nodded. "Aye, this's fine. 'Ere y'go, Seward. Don't lose it or nothin'!"

The maintopman frowned at the horseshoe that had been thrust into his hands. "Eh. Thanks."

The groom had thought to repair the horseshoe he gave. A few proper whacks on it would've done the trick. But keeping the sailors satisfied in their strange rituals might keep them in good spirits. Odd folk!

"Now if you could go, please." For the horse was starting to get agitated, and even the two mares were acting somewhat restless by now.

The seamen gave a muted cheer, wanting to avoid frightening those great brute beasts of horses. Billy gave Haley a grin as they all turned en masse to go above with their prize. "Thankee, mate. Come and watch, if you like!"

The man did not look eager to follow, more than happy to be rid of the noisy men where they could frighten the horses. Though he knew the mares were most possibly trained to be used to battle and shouts, they were not used to such small crammed spaces and that was bad enough. Copenhagen on the other hand was a young horse and as his temperament showed, was more than a handful.

De Guarde went along with the seamen shaking his head at the sillyness. Well, it wasn't technically Seward that got the horseshoe, but he felt in no need to point that out. He slipped in beside Billy and close to Chase and spoke to the first. "So, we're doin' it then?" As they cleared out of the hold with the horses.

"Oh aye, we're doin' it. Or we will when there's a storm next," Chase answered, grinning cheerfully. He was pleased that their venture had turned out so well.

Seward clutched his horseshoe and looked vaguely relieved to be back on the messdeck again.

"Why tho, should t' horseshoe scare of a storm?" he had tried to figure the science of it, yet since horseshoes had little to do with sea at all..

Well it certainly was another of those superstitions, he gathered. But how did it come into being?

The seamen stared at De Guarde, disbelieving. Didn't he know?

" 'Orseshoes is good luck," Chase replied, as if it was a simple a fact as the sky being blue.

"Wot'.."He answered with a sulk in his voice. "We don' nail them places 's..middies yer know." He looked at Chase defensively. "I'um askin' how it works...with it ..bein' nailed ter t' mast?"