Late afternoon the next day, Crow and Mary arrived at the ship. Empty wagons on the wharf said that all the kits and supplies were onboard. Friends and family had gathered to say goodbye. Big-eyed children stared up at the towering masts as their fathers told them how they climbed the ropes to man the sails.
Captain Bodkins had not been in favor of the crew bringing families aboard, but after reconsidering it, he realized this was no ordinary crew. He had been to sea for more years than the age of most of these men, and had never seen a finer crew. They were going to sail into harm"s way, looking for a fight. Better they spend time with their loved ones. Many of these men might not come back. "What if none of us come back?" he wondered, and then pushed the thought from his mind.
Too soon
