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Repairs continued on the Sea Sprite for two days, preventing her fro breeze rushing down from the north, the swift schooner made fine speed southward, her sails full of wind In just over three days, she ran the four hundred reat Moonshae Isles, and Deudermont turned her to the west, due west, for the open sea, running just off the southern coast of the Moonshaes

"We’ll run for two days with the Moonshaes in sight," Deuder for Corwell?" Dunkin Tall questions, was quick to interrupt "I think I should like to be let off at Corwell A beautiful city, by all accounts" The little man’s cavalier attitude was di at his ear, that nervous tick that revealed his trepidation

Deudernored the pesty , we’ll pass a point called Dragon Head," he

explained "Then we’ll cross a wide harbor and put in at a village, Wyngate, for our last provisions Then it’s the open sea, twenty days out, I figure, twice that without the wind"

The seasoned crew understood it would be a difficult journey, but they bobbed their heads in accord, not a word of protest froate?" Dunkin protested "Why, I’ll be aout of the place!"

"Whoever said that you were leaving?" Deudermont asked him "We shall put you off where we chooseafter we return"

That shut the ht, for before Deuderet three steps away, Dunkin shouted at hi the Sword Coast all your stinking life You know the rumors, Deudermont"

The captain turned slowly, ominously, to face the man Both were quite conscious of the murmurs Dunkin’s words had caused, a ripple of whispers all across the schooner’s deck

Dunkin did not look at Deuder as he considered the suddenly nervous crew "Ah," he moaned suspiciously "You haven’t told them"

Deuder theend?" Dunkin asked in sly tones

"The ue," Catti-brie whispered to Drizzt

"He enjoys trouble," Drizzt whispered back

Deuder Dunkin, the captain’s stern gaze gradually stealing the little rin Then Deudermont looked to Drizzt-he always looked to Drizzt when he needed support-and to Catti-brie, and neither seemed to care much for Dunkin’s ominous words Bolstered by their confidence, the captain turned to Harkle, who seeh he hadn’t even heard the conversation The rest of the crew, at least those near to the wheel, had heard, and Deuder thereat mystery of Caerwich?"

"Ah, Captain Deuderh

"Caerwich," Deuderend Few claim to have been there, for it is far, far away from any civilized lands"

"That much, we already know," Robillard reend and we sail empty waters until we are forced to return, then that bodes no ill for the Sea Sprite What is it that this insignificant wor at that moment to throttle the an, choosing his words carefully, "claim that they witnessed unusual visions"

"Haunted!" Dunkin interrupted dramatically "Caerwich is a haunted island," he proclai around to cast a wild-eyed stare at each of the crewh," Drizzt said to the man

"Shut yer mouth," Catti-brie added

Dunkin did shut up, but he returned the young wo he had won the day

"They are rumors," Deudermont said loudly "Ruate, but not before" The captain paused and looked around oncefriendship and loyalty fro "I would have told you," he insisted, and everyone aboard, except perhaps for Dunkin, believed hiainst any pirates," Deuder I must do because of the incident on Dock Street Perhaps the Sea Sprite sails into trouble, perhaps to answers, but I o, whatever the outconed on to chase pirates, and in that regard, you have been the finest crew any captain could wish for"

Again ca the gaze of each man, and of Catti-brie and Drizzt, last of all

"Any who do not wish to sail to Caerwich ate," Deudermont offered It was an extraordinary offer that widened the eyes of every crewman "You will be paid for your time aboard the Sea Sprite, plus a bonus from my personal coffers When we return"

"If you return," Dunkin put in, but Deudernored the troubleain, ate There will be no questions of loyalty asked, and no retribution by any who voyaged to Caerwich"

Robillard snorted "Is not every island haunted?" he asked with a laugh "If a sailor were to believe every whispered rumor, he’d not dare sail the Sword Coast at all Sea monsters off of Waterdeep! Coiled serpents of Ruathym! Pirates of the Nelanther!"

"That last one’s true enough!" one sailor piped in, and everyone gave a hearty laugh

"So it is!" Robillard replied "Seeht be true"

"And if Caerwich is haunted?" another sailor asked

"Then we’ll dock in theover the rail of the poop deck, "and put out in the afternoon"

"And leave the night for the ghosts!" yet another hter

Deudermont was truly appreciative, especially to Robillard, from whom the captain had never expected such support When the roll was subsequently called, not a single one of the Sea Sprite’s crew ate

Dunkin listened to it all in sheer astonish to the rumors of haunted Caerwich, tales of decapitation and the like, but he was shouted or laughed down every time

Neither Drizzt nor Catti-brie was surprised by the unanimous support for Deuderether long enough to becoh experience with friendship to understand loyalty

"Well, I ate," a flustered Dunkin said at last "I’ll not follow any man to haunted Caerwich"

"Who ever offered you such a choice?" Drizzt asked him

"Captain Deuder to Deuderer the captain’s way The words stuck in his throat, though, for Deudermont’s sour expression explained that the offer wasn’t meant for him

"You cannot keep me here!" Dunkin protested "I am the emissary of his tyrancy I should have been released in Mintarn"

"You would have been killed in Mintarn Harbor," Drizzt reminded him

"You will be released in Mintarn," Deuderht have a proper inquiry as to your part in the attempted a!" Dunkin cried, tugging his ear

"It is convenient that so soon after you informed me that Drizzt’s presence aboard the Sea Sprite was preventing any pirate attacks, you arranged to take Drizzt from our decks," Deudermont said

"I was almost killed by that very ambush!" Dunkin roared in protest "If I had known that the scalaere after you, I never would have rowed out into the harbor"

Deuderh," the drow admitted

Deudermont paused a moment, then nodded "I find you innocent," he said to Dunkin, "and agree to return you to Mintarn after our journey to Caerwich"

"You will pick ate, then," Dunkin reasoned, but Deudermont shook his head

"Too far," the captain replied "None of ate And now that I must return to Mintarn, I will return fro north of the Moonshaes"

"Then let ate and I’ll find a way to meet you in a northern town of the Moonshaes," Dunkin offered

"Which northern town?" Deudermont asked hiet off at Wyngate," Deudere back to Mintarn from there" With that, Deudermont turned and walked to his cabin He entered without looking back, leaving a frustrated Dunkin standing droop-shouldered by the wheel