'God damn him!' roared a furious Isaac smashing a bottle against the hull. 'Bastard, that useless little deserting bastard!'
One of the ship's crew had resigned their post that very morning leaving Isaac a sailor down and without whom he could not travel. The quarry had delivered their stone supply shortly after sunrise but now the captain had a new headache. He lit up his pipe irately.
As the cargo was loaded onto his ship, he scanned across the docks which were quiet. There were only a few boats so his options were limited. He caught sight of one figure by the warehouses, Maynard the stockist, and approached him.
'What can I do for you, Isaac?' said Maynard and Isaac clinked up the boardwalk with his cane.
'A favour,' said Isaac.
'A favour now?' said Maynard intrigued. 'And what'd that be?'
'I need a ship hand; you have any men spare?'
'No,' said Maynard turning away to the workers among the kegs, crates and wagons. 'I need the few men I have here.'
'Curses!' rasped Isaac.
'I can do it!' exclaimed Ezra jumping out from behind a cart.
They both jumped. She had a good knack of doing that.
'I don't need her, she could do it,' said Maynard turning back.
'There are no other men?' sighed Isaac looking about the docks once more.
'I know how to sail old man,' said Ezra.
Isaac frowned, looking the girl up and down and scratching his chin. 'Guess it will be nice to have something young an' pretty to look at,' he said and sighed. 'My hands are tied. Fine then, but I won't be paying you Maynard.'
'You don't make enough money to,' said Maynard turning his back to them again.
'When do we set off?' asked Ezra.
'Noon,' said Isaac. 'You'll work for board and food. Don't be late.'
With that he promptly left. Ezra bounced a little and went off to collect her belongings. Nothing was going to change around here and she longed for an adventure.
Meanwhile a small white dog had climbed up the gangway to Isaac's ship. Between the crates of stone it found a little shaded spot and curled up for a nap.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
