22 May, First dog Watch - later in the evening

De Guarde couldn't tell whether the new arrival was actually new or the Shepherd decided to play a prank of a prank. Deciding it plausible that he was also the other Shepherd he grinned at the lad.

"Socks here, new n' fresh from out there..., ready ter be molded inter a Terpsy." Which were the words he could not have said so long ago himself. But now he felt quite a part of the lot, and his worries were sailing somewhere far from his mind, atleast for the moment.

The Tars were hard-pressed to keep their grins and laughter contained. They understood the joke being played out but were determined not to ruin it.

Tom Shepherd grinned and stuck out his hand. "Oh aye, I knows him. Good t'know ya too, Sam. Fresh aboard an' all? Me an' the lads here'll have to show ya 'round proper."

Sam looked even more confused. "We just met, din't we? Not two minutes ago, and then you went harin' off..."

His younger brother ducked his head, ostensibly to look at his jacket, but really just to hide his grin.

"No oh. That's t' other brother ye've met. Silly." De Guarde shook his head, as if it was terribly obvious and only a blind man could not know that this Shepherd was not the same as the one earlier leaving up the stairs.

"The... other...?" He was now thoroughly confused, looking between the gathered Terpsies as if somehow he'd suddenly understand what was going on.

Chase smothered a groan. Couldn't Buckles have kept quiet just a few minutes longer?

The unexpected revelation didn't seem to bother Tom Shepherd, though. "Din't ya know there's three of us Shepherds?" He asked airily.

De Guarde blinked at Chase and scowled. How could he have known! Well, Tom did a good one in saving it though.

"...Yep. Three." He murmured.

"Three... But someone said... An' you don't look like him, neither," he said, pointing from the boy his brother had called 'Buckles' to the Marine. He looked at the Marine drummer. "And I've only seen you, so how do I know you ain't playin' a joke on me, sayin' there's three of you, when I's only seen two?"

"Oh that," Tom Shepherd waved his hand dismissively. "Our da din't care much fer keepin' in his breeches."

Chase and the others chuckled. Tom Shepherd went on, "Want me to go an' send Andrew down, so ya'll see him too?"

"Ey,.. I think is' enough now." He nodded to the present Shepherd and then turned towards the elder Oxley.

"..'ctually, we've been real playin' a trick on you." He paused and looked at the other Tars and then at the Shepherd. His look was serious, as if deciding to end this charade.

" Sure is three o' us, that's true. But um' .. he's jus' one." He pointed to the Shepherd. "Is m' brother, see. And we have another.. who's lookin jus' like me.." He smiled.

"Sorry 'bout foolin' yer all like that! But all true 'bout us ..da bein'... like that!"

Sam Oxley scratched his head. "So there's three of you.. one who looks like him-" he pointed at Shepherd "- and two who look like you. So where's the other one who lloks like you then?"

"He's shy," Tom Shepherd answered.

"Sad but true." De Guarde agreed with Tom, sighing.

"So I've seen you twice in five minutes, an' him, an' your other brother not at all?" the older Oxley asked, tryng to get it straight in his mind.

Tom Shepherd nodded. "Aye, that's so."

By now, some of the Tars had to bite down on their tongues to keep from breaking into helpless laughter. If the barely-contained snickers were not giveaway enough, their shining red faces were.

"'zactly so. Ye'um right a smart one! "

De Guarde saw the red faces, and tried to keep himself from bursting into laughter. The poor Socks!

"Might be believin' there's summat brain in t' Oxleys!" He winked, placing his hands on his hips.

"You's havin' me on. You are." Sam Oxley couldn't quite work out how, though, or what the joke was. That there was a joke was obvious from the sailors' reactions. He looked between de Guarde and the Shepherd lad.

"You ain't brothers, then. And never was. An' I don't believe there's more'n one of either of you!"

"Arrigh' lads," Chase gasped, unable to keep his mirth back any longer. "He's figgered it, I think. Or if he ain't, let him be."

Tom Shepherd grinned broadly. "Fine 'nuff. Ware, c'mon wi' me a minute. Gotta get Andrew down here. Oh hush, Berty, somebody's gotta mind the drum up there!" The two Marines clomped topside, with Ware looking playfully disgusted at the idea that he should stand in as a drummer, however briefly.

"Ah damn.. !" He snapped his fingers and laughed softly. It was a tall tale that lasted this long. Of course Socks had a few details wrong but those were going to be set straight in a moment. He didn't want to miss his reaction though, not for the world.

"Socks.. there's more." He made it sound as dramatic as if their little theater was about to offer the final, yet greatest turn of all.

"More?" What else could there be? One Marine drummer had gone clattering up the companion ladder, and then come back down again a moment or two later. "Me name's Sam, anyhow. Not Socks."

And his younger brother was looking as though he was going to have some sort of fit, the way his shoulders were shaking. He looked at him darkly.

"That's the more," Chase said, pointing at the aft ladder. Both Shepherds had returned and were standing shoulder to shoulder, grinning like idiots.

"Sam Oxley, ain't ye. Socks fer short!" He grinned innocently. Oh, that was a sight to be seen, a story to be told!

He nearly fell over when he leaned so far to see what poor Socks's expression at the sight of.. indeed two of a kind. Well two of the same! Like being drunk without actually being that! He covered his mouth, muffling his giggles and chuckles.

He blinked. Two Marine drummers, who looked identical, with matching grins. He blinked again. Only one of the lad they called Buckles, and two of these lads.

"Tommy!"

Private Oxley turned, feigning a look of surprise that became real as his older brother took a step towards him. "Oops."

He scrambled up and darted forrard before Sam could grab him, though Sam was in close pursuit.

Chase and the other Tars fell into helpless laughter as the two Oxleys went dashing off, one in hard pursuit of the other. The two Shepherds stood back out of the way and let them run, cheering both on keenly.

De Guarde joined in the laughter and cheers. A few of the ships boys had been late in coming and had their faithful friends explaining what had just happened. It wasn't long before the boys were in heaps of laughter as well, partially from the chase and partially from the prank itself.

"Poor Oxley. " De Guarde murmured, a grin plastered ear to ear. "...is a small ship, won't be able ter run far." He smiled at the Shepherds and gave them a mock salute.