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"Fevered," the girl answered, indifferently It was nothing out of the way; half the e, three days in darkness and da for their precarious state of health

"Have ye seen a Cirein Croin, then?" she asked, leaning far over the rail, a hand shading her eyes "Are they really big enough to s the boat?"

"Myself has not seen one" Roger dropped his dipper and grabbed her by the apron sash, pulling her firmly off the rail "Have a care, aye? It would take noto s you, lassie!"

"Look!" she shrieked, leaning farther over in spite of his grasp "Look, it is, it is!"

Drawn as er leaned over the rail involuntarily A dark shape hovered just below the surface, sth of the ship It kept pace for a fewvessel, then was outdistanced and left behind

"Shark," Roger said, shaken in spite of hiirl a small shake, to stop her steam-whistle screeches "It’s no but a shark, hear? Ye ken what’s a shark, do ye not? We ate one, only last week!"

She had quit shrieking, but was still white-faced and wide-eyed, tender

"You’re sure?" she said "It--it wasna a Cirein Croin?"

"No," Roger said gently, and gave her a dipper of water to drink, by herself "Only a shark" The biggest shark he had ever seen, with an air of blind ferocity that raised the hair on his forear about the ship whenever her speed slowed, eager for the garbage and slops tossed overboard

"Isobeàil!" An indignant cry summoned his erstwhile companion to co step and out-thrust lip, Isobeàil slouched off to help her er to finish his job without further distraction

No further distraction than his thoughts, at least For thethat the Gloriana had nothing below her save leagues of empty water; that the ship was not, in fact, the small and solid island that it seeile shell, at the mercy of forces that could crush her in moments--and everyone aboard

Had the Phillip Alonzo reached port in safety? he wondered Ships did sink, and fairly often; he’d read enough accounts of it Having lived through the last three days, he could only be amazed that more of the he could do about that prospect, except pray

For those in peril on the deep, Lord, have mercy

With sudden vividness, he understood exactly what the maker of that line had meant

Finished, he dropped the dipper into the barrel and reached for a board to cover the open top; rats tended to fall in and drown otherwise One of the woestured at the little boy she held, fussing against his ie us a wee rub wi’ his ring? Our Gibbie has a touch o’ sore eyes froer hesitated, but then ridiculed himself He, like the rest of the crew, tended to steer clear of Bonnet, but there was no reason to refuse the woed before with a rub of his gold ring, this being a popular remedy for sore eyes and infla himself for a moment "Come on" The woman blinked in surprise, but followed hied in close conversation with the er motioned to the wo modestly behind him

The Captain looked as tired as any of them, the lines of dissipation carved deeper in his face Lucifer after a week of running Hell, and finding it no picnic, Roger thought, sourly a to the h," Dixon replied "We can salvage a bit; et rid of it upriver in Cross Creek"

"Aye, they’re et the best prices there, though; we’ll get rid of e can before we go to Wiler His expression hardened, but relaxed again when he heard the request Without co he wore on his little finger gently over little Gilbert’s closed eyes A plain wide band, Roger saw; it alh s, er supposed; soht find the Captain’s air of subdued violence attractive

"The wean’s ailing," Dixon remarked He pointed, there was a prickle of red bumps behind the boy’s ears, and his pale cheeks bloo her child defensively against her boso, likely"

The Captain nodded indifferently and turned away Roger escorted the wo a bit of hard biscuit for the child to gnaw on, then sent her back to the forward hold with the others

He had little thought for Gilbert’s guh; as he climbed the ladderway to the deck, his mind was occupied by the conversation he had overheard