"Captain McGregor, Nassau on the horizon sir," announced the officer who poked his head through the door of the Captain's quarters. "Thank you Mr. Cooper, I'll guide her in, once I finish this letter." "Very well sir," Cooper said, returning to the deck.
Several minutes later, McGregor signed the letter, and sealed it. He rose from his desk, put on his sword belt, and exited the cabin. As he did so, he donned the gold-trimmed hat. He was greeted by the sea wind and the great expanse of tropical waters around the vessel. The Captain ascended the starboard side steps; as he reached the last step, stepping onto the upper deck, and approached the wheel, Mr. Cooper called "Captain at the helm." The helmsman acknowledged and stood aside with a salute, so McGregor could gain control of his ship.
"Mr. Cooper." "Aye?" "See to it that my letter reaches Matilda, in New York, if you please." "Right then, if I remember correctly, going that way should be...Captain Stack..." "Ugh, that's right. Damn, man, is this my predicament? Captain bloody Stack on one hand, and the Admiral on the other. The Captain'd be liable to perversely read the thing himself along the way, and the Admiral'd be liable to think its some conspiratorial correspondence. Eh, sorry that you had to hear that. Send the letter anyways. I haven't seen Matilda for quite some time so it's the least I could do. Soon enough I should be able to get away from this predicament if I just deal with them as normally as I can." "Oh, not a problem sir...it's nice to know that you agree with what I have been thinking..." the two exchanged glances and ceased the conversation, staring forward as they sailed closer to Nassau.
Captain McGregor momentarily turned control over to the helmsman so that he could gaze through his telescope. "That's Stack's ship...bloody Oceana, oh and Cahill's there too..." he muttered to himself while looking at the rear of the docked ship. They didn't dock, but sailed into Nassau's harbor and let the anchor down. Captain McGregor raised his voice so that it could reach down to the deck below, where he saw an officer. "Mr. Dowling, see to it that the men secure the rigging and everything is shipshape before they venture to land, please." "Aye sir!" he heard in reply, followed by a paraphrasing of the Captain's command. Meanwhile him and Mr. Cooper had the shoreboat lowered. The Captain always thought it was tricky stepping into it, as it rocked. But once they were ready, men on each side of the boat rowed them to the docks.
As they rowed by previously docked boats and vessels a man sprang up and called out to them. "Oy, ol' Captain McGregor, I thought 'twas you, and the Lioness!" He started walking along the docks in line with the shoreboat. "It is indeed, Captain Cahill, it is indeed!" "I trust you've been keepin' her tame, mate?" "Aye, she's gotten us this far, my Lioness, and she hasn't a sign of death about her! Same with yours?" "Of course! Me crew keeps everything runnin' smoothly! We'll be making way for New York tomorrow ye know?" he said as the shoreboat finally docked. McGregor didn't answer until he had disembarked from the boat.
"Oh? I thought that Captain Stack was supposed to go to New York." "So did I, until the Admiral conferr'd the matter 'pon me." "Why is Captain Stack unable?" "Because," the man himself said, striding close by. "I was getting verbally broadsided by Admiral Fletcher just yesterday, and quite by a miracle, he didn't condemn me. It seems that your mate here is in higher favor." "Oh Captain Stack, hello. How sorry I am to hear that..." "Yeah yeah McGregor, move along."
Captain McGregor eyed Stack but decided it would be best to indeed move along. "...Right then," he said as he began stepping away, but stopped momentarily. "Oh, Captain Cahill, since you're going to New York, would you please make sure that this letter reaches Matilda there? Haven't spoken with her for months. Mr. Cooper was going to take care of it but I didn't expect these circumstances, and that you'd be down at the water's edge. Ah yes you're right, a Captain belongs by the water. Thank you. Captain Cahill...Captain Stack," he nodded to each before leaving.
