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@@ -1081,25 +1081,67 @@ Birdie liked her more instantly. She smiled. "If you want to tell me about where Sarah took off her hat and then her kerchief that held back her red-brown hair. She gathered up her hair and twisted it in her hands. "I'm from a couple islands up the way," was all she said. -Where ar eyou going. +"Where are you going?" This was all that mattered in Birdie's world. -"I want to get to New Providence Island. I want to join a crew." +"We're headed to New Providence Island." -Lulu and Birdie glanced at each other. Several ship that had careened the previous year had called New Providence Island home. The men on those ships described it as a kind of chaoic paradise. Lulu and Birdie had found their stories hard to believe. Still, Bridie understood wanting to sail and the idea that Sarah really was a sailor made a kind of light buoyant feeling swelled in her and made her feel like she was larger and could do anything. +Lulu and Birdie glanced at each other. The sailor's answer to the question where are you going is always, where the wind takes me. + +Several ships that had careened at Lulu and Birdie's camp the previous year had called New Providence Island home. The men on those ships described it as a kind of chaotic paradise. Lulu and Birdie had found their stories hard to believe. Still, Bridie understood wanting to sail and the idea that Sarah really was a sailor made a kind of light buoyant feeling swelled in her and made her feel like she was larger and could do anything. "You know how to sail then? -"I'm learning. I could be better, that's why I want to join a crew. If they'll have me." +"I'm learning." She laughed. "I could be better, that's why I want to join a crew. If they'll have me." -Birdie smiled, but said nothing. She knew many wouldn't. She'd never wanted to be part of a crew though. She'd always wanted a ship. Her own ship. But then she didn't need to learn how to sail. +Birdie smiled, but said nothing. She knew many wouldn't. She'd never wanted to be part of a crew. She'd always wanted a ship. Her own ship. But then she didn't need to learn how to sail. Lulu spoke up for the first time, "You certainly know how to make an entrance. You were just like the stories the pirates tell." Sarah raised her eyebrows and glanced back and forth between the girls. "You hear a lot of pirate stories do you?" -Birdie shrugged. Lulu went on. "Half the ships that careen here are pirate. Or hope they will be." +Birdie shrugged. Lulu went on. "Half the ships that careen here are pirate. Or are hoping to be." + +"Hoping to be?" + +"Well, there was one, they hadn't actually captured a ship. But they had a Black Flag and they were looking for ships. When they weren't bailing." + +Sarah smiled. "And that's what you do? You help them careen and tar?" + +The girls nodded. + +Their father returned saying Tamba had taken the ship into the marsh, to help them anchor it just offshore from Delos. They were going to careen and tar them together beginning the next day. tk ship name turned out to have a crew of six, including Sarah. Her father sent Birdie down to the end of the island to fetch her Aunt and Uncle and cousins. Between the two camps, plus some salt pork from tk ship name, they were able to put together a stew that Birdie seasoned with wild onions she'd gathered the day before. She and Lulu had spent the morning hunting the marsh for eggs, which they boiled to go along with stew. Aunt Māra made bread the way the Edistow did, laying the dough right on on the coals and then breaking the hard crust into half moon shapes into which they poured the stew before setting the whole thing in their abolone bowls to cool. The result was a bready, gooey, stewy mess that was Birdie's favorite meal, after turtle. + +It was beginning to get cool in the evenings and her father had been lighting the big fire again some nights. Though it wasn't cold enough to gather around it he lit it tonight and Unle Cole brought out his fiddle and the men from tk boat name brought their instruments and there was playing and dancing well into the night. Birdie danced with her father, with Sarah, with Tamba, and finally was too tired to dance anymore and sat and watched the men from tk boat name, pass the rum between them. They offered it to her father, who glanced up at their commotion to see the jug being offered. Birdie watched as he stood. Her father looked at the men and smiled. "Normally I don't drink. But I do appreciate the offer and I want you to feel welcome here, I have no complaint with any man that drinks, so long as he controls himself within the bounds of reason." The other men listened, glanced among themselves and slowly nodded. "Sounds good," said one. + +But then her father did a thing Birdie did not expect. He took the jug and drank a bit gulp from it and handed it back to men, who cheered. Her father smiled and sat back down next to Sarah and resumed talking. + +Birdie soon found herself jerky away after having dosed off and so whe went into the hut, gathered up her quilts and climbed the dune just beyond the fire and laid down on the top to watch the sea as she fell asleep. She heard the sandy squeak of bare feet and her father sat down beside her, resting his arm on her back. "Good night Birdie." he patted her back. + +"Good night Papa." + +The sat in silence, staring out at the moonlight on the water. + +"Papa?" + +"Yes?" + +"Why did you drink the rum?" + +He leaned over and looked her in the eyes, his beard tickling her forehead. "Sometimes Birdie people are far enough from the path that they need know there is path, and more importantly, that they can get from where they are to the path. If I had just said no thank, I don't drink, while that's true, it would have set me far apart from them. For me to have a sip of rum to bring them closer is more important, more valuable for both of us." + +Birdie knew her father believed there was a path, a right and true path, for everyone. He believed that the first task of life was finding that path, but that noone walked the same path and there was no single way to find that path. That was life he said, finding that path and then sticking to it. Bridie had heard him say this thousands of times it seemed like, but until then she'd never really understood that it wasn't a path where you could see what was ahead of you, it was a path you were constantly making. There wasn't a right answer in front of you, there wasn't an answer at all. You were making the path every time you chose to do or not do something. + +"so there is no path then?" + +"What do you mean?" + +She told him what she had thought. He smiled and rubbed her back. "Exactly," he said. "Exactly." + +The sat in silence for a while until Lulu and Henri climbed sleepily up the dune and laid down beside her. Her father tucked each of them into their quilts and kissed their cheeks before returning to fire. +## Lulu and Sarah +Lulu stood in the shade of the oaks, watching the thick hemp cords that held the tk boat name over on it's side. Her job was to inspect the ropes and the tree that held them, looking for any signs of weakness or fraying or rubbing. If any of these ropes slipped or broke loose it would put more strain on the remaining ropes and if they went, the ship would role back upright, crushing anyone who was working under it. It was pleasant work, watching things, though she couldn't help but feel tense and nervous since it was more than likely her father working under the boat, he always took the most dangerous jobs himself. If anything slipped she would scream and run which would be signal for anyone in the way of the rolling ship to run for their lives. Lulu was well known for her ability to out shriek anyone, which was why her father had given her the job. |