William Brand

Well, Silkie. I'll have the boys run up some hot water to the tub while you wait here and start off with some chocolate.

I like the second design. The three cannons is a very nice look.

And what would be the cost of this beautiful item, may I ask?

Yes. Take many pictures. Aye. Here's to friendships made and maintained.

You're welcome, Siren. We should have pie in celebration of our friendship. Key lime.....mmmm.

Yes, but Charlie had more minions.

And just as lucky. You flatterer you. I'll open a crate of chocolate.

A cubic zirconia in the rough am I.

My dear Siren, you are one of the Kate's oldest patrons. No, no...that isn't quite right. Not oldest. Most faithful patrons.

Wine?

Tonight's Special is Filet Mignon...

Mine was wrong in every possible way.

If you have to ask... Tsk Tsk Tsk Texas is not in the Rockies.

I think I'll send out the word once a year.

And now a little more obscure. Poi Dog Pondering Are You Male Or Female?: The me That was your son Describe Yourself: Complicated How Do Some People Feel About You?: God's Gallipoli How Do You Feel About Yourself?: Blood and Thunder Describe Where You Want To Be: Spending the day in The Shirt you wore Describe What You Want To Be: Platetectonic Describe How You Live: Living with the Dreaming Body Describe How You Love: Fall upon me, Love Vigilantes Share A Few Words Of Wisdom: Take Care Of Your Thing, Everybody's Trying, Bury Me Deep

There's hot and then there is hot. Luxor, Egypt has an average of 107 degrees (41 C) in June. When I was there in '87 it reached 120 degrees. I hate heat and this was a life sucking heat. Still, I wish I lived close enough to Corona to attend.

William continued to watch the cutter through the assistance of a spyglass. They were making surprising progress through a nest of rocks and coral. Those who manned the boat were making it look as easy as a carriage ride on an open road. All the while he watched them his mind raced around a little saying that Ilex had muttered over and over. She was in such a state by the time he questioned her about the fortune, that much of what she said had come in haltering whispers. Most of it sounded like half forgotten nursery rhymes, but she had repeated one thing more than anything else... "White folds under red curtains." At first she had used the phrase only by itself, sometimes adding to it, and sometimes subtracting. She was the proprietor of an establishment with a similar name, so he had given it little thought. However, she had spoken of it so often during her interrogation, that he was certain it had some meaning outside of this. She had also used such phrases as "coition with Poseidon's horse" and "Drink the water, mind the salt." William had given each of these truncated remarks to Mister Lasseter, along with some vague instructions about coral and a cave entrance. They had by her the general description of the area and some minute details about the location itself, but the rest of it had been a sort of miasmic babbling.

Excellent. Now the Pogues... Are you female or male: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day Describe yourself: An American Body How do some people feel about you: The Gentleman Soldier How do you feel about yourself: Jesse James Describe where you want to be: Sunnyside Of The Street Describe what you want to be: The Irish Rover Describe how you live: I'm sitting on top of the world Describe how you love: Love You 'Til The End Share a few words of wisdom: Thousands are Sailing

I am well.

U2 Are you female or male: Fortunate Son Describe yourself: Even Better Than the Real Thing How do some people feel about you: Original Of The Species How do you feel about yourself: Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad Describe where you want to be: Where the Streets Have No Name Describe what you want to be: The Wanderer Describe how you live: Things to Make and Do Describe how you love: Two Hearts Beat As One Share a few words of wisdom: Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own Somebody fetch me a lighter.

Ajayi and Harold followed Tudor over the sides of the boat. The two men were so strong together, that they ran the boat up hard upon the sand with little or no assistance from the remaining rowers. Roche tossed out a line to the Steward waiting on shore as easily as one might fire a shot. His aim and arm had ever worked well together. Miss Smith caught it and much of the water flung with it, running up the beach and pulling the line as taught as she could. Harold pushed up past the longboat's bow to throw his own weight on the rope as Ajayi struggled to keep the boat as steady as possible. Owen and Maurice gathered in the sail almost at once. Mister Pew lashed the tiller without even looking down as his eyes scanned the shore for any signs of life or treachery. Despite past, training, disposition or personal differences, they were one machine in those moments when they hit the shoreline.

The opportunites are varied. One has but to gain favor by treachery, subversion, bribary, valor, infamy or any other number of reasons. There is also forgery.

July 19, 1704 - Off the coast of Los Hermanos Seven bells of the Forenoon Watch The cutter made its way along the surf, sometimes slowing, sometimes racing away, and the Watch Dog's speed was reined in as the evidence of reefs showed in the white caps of disturbed waves. Orders went down from the quarterdeck for the leadlines and the crew was sent along the rail for soundings. Overhead, the watches kept a wary eye for debris and obstructions in the water. The wind was not favorable off of the islands, and after a time, William was forced to draw the Watch Dog further offshore than he had hoped to. This left the cutter to fend for itself. William employed a speaking horn to yell out final details and instructions to Mister Lasseter across the water. He was forced to repeat himself many times before he could be sure that the Quartermaster had heard all of his words over the rain and pounding surf. Only a few affirmatives returned from the diminishing figure in the cutter. William was reminded of a tale he had once heard regarding a cask of vinegar and six men lost at sea. It did not improve his mood.

July 19, 1704 - Off the coast of Los Hermanos Just prior to seven bells of the Forenoon Watch The boats moved away from the Watch Dog's wake. The Master-at-Arm's party travelled North and East of the Watch Dog as the light frigate rolled away to the South to shadow the cutter, which made good speed under the ministrations of the Quartermaster and Coxswain. The rain soon made the longboat party all but a blur against a sea and sky of one color. It tossed a bit in the chop off of Los Hermanos as it faded against the grey backdrop. William watched it until watching it was vain, then he turned his attention to the cutter as it sped along under its own sail. It bobbed ahead without trouble, despite the heavy deluge. Mister Warren and Mister Lasseter kept it along a course that would bring them to the Southern most parts of Los Hermanos and along a line that would endanger the small craft the least. As the are described by the Ilex woman loomed, William began to send orders down from the quarterdeck to slow or alter the Watch Dog's course with minute adjustments. Mister Lasseter, commanding the cutter, was watching these alterations and adjusting the craft's course to prevent overshooting the spot. Both boats shadowed one another as the slid along the shoreline. The sun tried numerous times to break up the grey throughout the morning and failed. The result was an occasional bombardment of sunlight in long shafts through the gloom. More than once, the bright sail of the longboat caught the light, causing it to look more threatened then it really was, surrounded by so much dark water. Mister Youngblood kept the gun deck all the while, moving about the deck in his heavy weather gear and occasional biting the stem of his unlit pipe. The decks were awash with water and he was continuously reminding the men about the need to protect all of the guns at all times. A steady wind had threatened the great guns all morning, pulling tarps off the barrels as they went along, so he was forced to bark out his share of lively reminders. He even had a runner going every quarter of an hour down to the powder stores to check for leaks or water damage. It seemed as though hours passed in this fashion, though barely an hour had slipped by.

I wish I could casually say I just bought $8,000 worth of pistols.