"Sure thing, kid," the cook said cheerfully, "Can always do with an extra hand."
At length, everyone got around to stowing their gear in a cabin, settling in for the voyage. The weather held fair, and
Starling progressed on a southeasterly course out of the Val'ri sea. Captain Casper had evidently decided to give Barius and Forfeit Isle a wide berth, given current tensions, and no one seemed inclined to contest this decision.
For the most part, the crew were in good humour, the one notable exception being the frequent verbal sniping between Yan Yan and Loake. Whether the two would be able to put aside their differences for the expedition itself was an open question, and scuttlebutt had it there was a pool going on who would snap first and when. The smart money was apparently on Loake.
If Marya had gotten a look under Yan Yan's mask, she was keeping whatever she'd seen to herself.
It was late morning on the third day, shortly before the course change north was due, that a cry went up of "Sail to starboard!" It was a cry that had been heard a couple of times before, with no great drama resulting. Still, there was a general air of interest as people watched the distant sail.
Edited by: [url=http://p068.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=kelne>Kelne</A] at: 3/5/05 21:37