Glassed In The Soft Parts

Stede Bonnett has no knowledge of seafaring, except as a passenger.

It's why he wants Nose back.

She was a natural.

She scrubbed decks, bailed out the bilges, fixed leaks and made lovely rum punches.

And then she left him.

All HE had done was....

Damn and blast it! Best not to think of that now.

Stealthily, he leaps from the Revenge to the Jolly Roger's ladder, a gleaming knife clenched in his mandibles.

Nose is in the galley, washing rum punch glasses, of which there are many, and humming a washing up song.

Stede Bonnett creeps up behind her.

Arr-harr! Got you, my pretty!

No you haven't!

Nose smashes a glass on the sink top and glasses his soft parts.

Arr-harr! Now who's in trouble?

Nose scampers up to the main deck and leaps over the side.

There are still some guests in the water. They don't try to detain her.

She swims, until she reaches the sand, where Terence and Tiny Sacrifice are digging, while trying not to look like they're digging.

Guys! cries Nose. I think I've just killed Stede Bonnett.

It's an exciting thing to have happened.

You're lucky, says Terence. We're digging a hole.

What for? asks Nose, with suspicion.

Nothing. We're just doing it, says Terence.

Then he thinks of something a bit more convincing.

We're burying the macaroni pie.

Well, I'm not going anywhere near it, says Nose. But I'm glad you're not digging for turtle eggs.

Tiny Sacrifice looks guilty. He hasn't learned not to.

Hmm, says Nose. Maybe you are. But I can't report you. I'm coming back with you, on the Lagoon.

Okay, says Terence. That means you'll miss the mad conga dancing.

We can do our own conga dancing, says Nose. Tiny Sacrifice will be good at it.

So will I, says Terence.

You'll be too stiff, says Nose.

I won't be too stiff, says Terence. He twirls in the sand, to show her.

So wow! It's all fixed and decided!

Only Tiny Sacrifice is disappointed, because he still hasn't had any dinner.