Stormy Seas: Part 7

 The noise of the crew had wakened me around dawn. They had loaded the ship and at first I had been afraid that they would find me. After a few crates were packed around my hiding place I felt more secure. There was a little port hole above me with some sunlight coming through the grimy glass.

It was quiet below deck now, though I had heard quite a lot of mean talk about the captain earlier.

A tug boat whistle blew and the boat began to move. A thrill of excitement went through me and I stood up to see out the porthole. I saw the cliffs of the bay to my right and nothing but open ocean ahead. Down below I could see the tugboat, with it's tow ropes straining to drag the ship out to sea.

The city already seemed far away. I sat back down on the canvas. My excitement died away very quickly when I realized that I was in need of the lavatory. I wondered what sort of facilities the ship had and how I would get to one without being discovered.

I looked up at the porthole and around at the crates sheltering my hiding place from the crew who I could hear running about. A squeak and some rustling caught my attention. From one of the coils of rope poked another stow away.

Our house had had mice before and I had felt somewhat sorry for how the things were treated. I had felt that they had not meant to be intruding and I had nearly asked to have one as a pet. This was much different. The rat was large with grimy looking fur and sharp claws. It sniffed the air and surveyed me with malicious, beady eyes. I nearly screamed.

I shoved at it with my booted foot and sent it running deeper into my corner. I stood up quickly and grabbed my little bag. In a moment I was out ducking between stacks of crates. A few of the sailors were coming down the ladder. I crawled on top a crate where I was hidden by some other cargo and the wall, but well off of the floor. I listened as they began tying down a stack of barrels.

“Make it a good knot lad,” I heard one voice say.

“Rather than a bad one?” A younger voice quipped back.

“You'll have to learn your knots or you won't last long on this ship.” I was rather disappointed that he had missed the humor.

“My knots held all during the last voyage,” the younger voice said. “You're pickier than Captain Peck.”

“Mr. Patrick! Mr. Elderton!” a new voice called down.

“Eldon!” the younger voice shouted back.

“Mr. Captain says finish quickly!”

“Tell him he can do it if he wants it done quickly!” the older voice said.

“You're in a nice mood today,” the younger voice said. “Still hungover?”

“Don't say nothin' to me boy.”

Do as he says and say everything, I thought at the younger voice.

“I'll try,” he responded.

I heard their footsteps heading up the ladder again and I slipped cautiously out of my hiding place. The noises above me said that the crew was all hard at work and would not come below for awhile. There might not be another chance to find a new hiding place so I hurried deeper into the ship, carefully watching out for rats as well as crew.