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Abby watched as the two of the duel In the end, Jack made the first contact, and while Blake an to ask people where they were froht have been
"Hey," Blake called "This group is froht when to let the laughter fade and step in "Recount? Recount? How can I recount? The count was one!"
Abby moved around the crowd "We have a birthday here!" she called, after speaking with a wide-eyed little girl "Her name is Jade"
"A birthday? A birthday?" Dirk shouted "Well, then!" He picked up his guitar and began to stru along
Blake found a couple celebrating their anniversary; she ran over with; she rushed over with two cups of grog as they all assured hiht need both, and then applauded his service to his country
Abby calasses and a ridiculous shirt "And what are you celebrating, sir? Where are you frolasses he wore and the baseball cap that sat low on his forehead Despite that, she could tell he had heavy dark eyebrows
"Just vacation," he said "And I’inia!" Dirk said, and broke into, "Carry inny"
They continued with the festivities, Jack hauling out a pirate chest next and providing young and old alike with trinkets Handing a pack of chocolate doubloons to a sinian had left his seat and was chatting with crew alley and snack bar below
A passenger asked her a question about Dirk’s pirate flag and she took the tis When she could, she slipped toward the steps and etaway to the deck below
There was a counter at the far end The price of the cruise included one glass of grog or soda and chips; hungry passengers could buy hot dogs, haes if they weren’t fond of grog There were tables alongside a central shelf that held pirate flags, eye patches, "doubloons" and other souvenirs She glanced at the tables, which were eather there while the ship ht of the pirate festivities
No one on either side
Abby walked up to thethe snack bar and asked, "Hey, I just saw one of the passengers wander this way Did you see where he went?"
"Uazine Of course, we don’t really carry any powder or guns down there now It’s food storage, o down there?" Abby asked
"Oh, Wiley--one of the creas talking to hiuy owns a similar outfit up in Myrtle Beach and was fascinated to hear about Dirk’s bilge pumps They’re probably down there by now"
"Thanks," Abby said She headed to the side of the counter, where a velvet rope blocked off the stairs down to the level below She walked into the vast h with all iveaways, ainst the inner hulls, as well; Dirk let his workers sleep on board when they needed a place to stay
"Hello?" Abby said No one answered She hurried up and down the length of theas she went, she found the hatch to the bilge below and opened it, cli down the little ladder that led to the lowest area of the ship, where the two sides e was dry She could hear the pu
No one was there
Frustrated, she returned to the action topside She didn’t see the inia--and who had then disappeared
"Where ya been, lass?" Dirk roared over to her "’Tis ti the ranso a pirate captain; he was supposed to sound gruff But she thought he was irritated with the fact that she hadn’t been on deck--and in sight
"Captain, we’ve gotten the ransom for all of theot on board!"
"Aell, then, I guess we’ll be bringing them back in," Dirk said
A little boy jumped up and cried out, "No! I want to stay on the ship and be a pirate!"
Dirk was good He walked over to the boy and pulled an eye patch froo, laddie! Now you’re an honorary pirate!"
The Black Swan returned to the dock Abby kept up her act--but kept looking for the man in the baseball cap, too She didn’t see him Had he somehow disappeared off the ship?